Systems and methods for management of contact information

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for the management of contact information, which may include automatic transfer processes, automatic update processes, automatic customization processes, automatic delivery processes, automatic storage processes, automatic portability processes, and/or automatic radial mining processes.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application that claims the benefitof priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/495,218, filed onSep. 24, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/601,075, filed on Aug. 31, 2012, which in turn claims the benefitof priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/628,886, filed onDec. 8, 2006 which is a National Phase Application of PCT PatentApplication No. PCT/US2005/020671 filed on Jun. 9, 2005, which in turnclaims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 60/578,665 filed on Jun. 9, 2004 the entirety of which areincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of systems and methods for the managementof contact information, and more particularly, internet-based servicesfor the management of personal and professional contact information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The management of contact information is one of the most frequent, andimportant, tasks in the everyday lives of individuals and businessesalike. For individuals, the management of contact information underliesall of their personal and professional communications. For businesses,the management of contact information underlies all professionalcommunications with customers, partners, and others. Despite thefrequency and importance of the task, technology has not to date solvedmany of the problems associated with the management of contactinformation.

For example, one's contact list—the list of all others, individuals andbusinesses, for whom one has contact information, together with thecontact information—often is less expansive than one desires andcontains information that is incomplete, inaccurate, and in anon-uniform format (meaning some or all of such information is notuseful for automated processing, such as in speed dialing). This problemis largely due to the fact that the transfer of contact information fromone to another typically requires manual transcription (e.g., writing ortyping) of such information by the sender and/or receiver of theinformation. Manual transcription of such information is burdensome,time-consuming, and prone to human error. This problem is also due tothe fact that it is difficult, often impossible, to find the contactinformation one needs. For example, privacy concerns prevent many (evenmost) individuals from listing their contact information in directories.What information is listed in public directories is often incomplete,inaccurate, and in a non-uniform format. Moreover, current directoryservices or search engines are largely unable to handle anything otherthan straightforward search requests. If one is successful in findingthe needed information, the transfer of it again typically requiresmanual transcription, making it difficult or unfeasible to preserve theinformation in one's contact list.

For another example, one's contact list often contains information thatis out of date (and thus inaccurate and/or incomplete); meaning, thecontact information for one or more individuals or businesses in one'scontact list has changed since last entered in the list, and thus thelist does not contain the up-to-date information. This problem is due inpart to the manual transcription requirement for sending and/orreceiving updated contact information. This problem is also due in partto the substantial other effort typically required for communicationsbetween the sender (or would-be sender) of updated contact informationand each of the many receivers (or would-be receivers) of suchinformation. Such effort is also burdensome, time-consuming, and proneto human error.

For another example, one's contact list often does not contain“special-purpose” contact information (which may be of a personal orprofessional nature), like an individual's temporary contact informationwhile on a business trip. Conversely, one's contact list often containsspecial-purpose contact information that is not valid, cluttering thelist and sometimes confused with or overwritten in the place of validinformation; for example, the individual has returned from his businesstrip, but his temporary contact information (no longer valid) remains inone's list. These problems are due in part to the manual transcriptionrequirement and the multiple-communications requirement, on the parts ofboth the sender (or would-be sender) and receivers (or would-bereceivers) of special-purpose contact information. These problems arealso due in part to the substantial other effort typically required forrepeatedly auditing the validity of special-purpose contact informationin one's contact list. Such effort is also burdensome, time-consuming,and prone to human error.

For another example, one's contact list often does not contain contactinformation of unknown others whose contact information may be ofinterest. That is, for example, contact information is, like anadvertisement, promotional in nature; indeed, it is a central part ofany and all advertisements. However, one is often unaware of othersofferings goods or services of interest. This problem is due in part tothe fact that—though, for example, on-line search advertising is afairly effective way to reach those likely to have an interest in one'sgoods or services—there are few if any effective ways to target one'scontact information (or an advertisement) at the consumer who is notactively searching for it. This problem is also due in part to themanual transcription requirement; meaning, for example, even if aconsumer stumbles upon an on-line advertisement of interest, it is oftendifficult or impossible to save it for later reference.

For another example, contact information in one's contact list is oftenlost. That is, for example, most individuals today store their contactlists in multiple electronic address books, each residing on one of theindividual's multiple computing/communications devices (hereinafter“devices”), on-line at an internet service (e.g., AOL), or elsewhere.The devices may be misplaced, stolen, or damaged, or otherwise becomeinaccessible by the individual (e.g., when switching jobs and having toleave a desktop computer behind); and all contact information residingon a lost device, if not stored in another address book, is also lost.This problem is due in part to the manual transcription requirement andthe auditing requirement for storing one's contact list in an addressbook that is less subject to loss. This problem is also due in part tothe fact that, though there exist automated (at least partially) meansfor storing one's contact list in such an address book (e.g., anelectronic address book stored on-line at an internet service), suchmeans are prone to error and are burdensome and time-consuming to use.

For another example, contact information in one's contact list is oftennot available at the time or place it is needed. That is, for example,contact information stored on an individual's desktop computer may notbe available to him when he is away from his computer and trying toplace a call from his mobile phone. This problem is due in part to themanual transcription requirement and the auditing requirement forsynchronizing the storage of one's contact list in multiple addressbooks. This problem is also due in part to the fact that, though thereexist automated (at least partially) means for synchronizing the storageof one's contact list in multiple electronic address books (includingone stored on-line at an internet service), such means are prone toerror and are burdensome and time-consuming to use.

For a final example, the contact information of others (in particularwhen taken together with one's own contact information) can yieldvaluable intelligence concerning one's relations to others; that is, forexample, the information from multiple contact lists can reveal for oneindividual the “degrees of separation” between that individual andanother with whom he desires to establish contact through mutualacquaintances. However, such valuable intelligence goes largelyun-mined.

There exists the need for systems and/or methods to solve or alleviatethese and other problems associated with the management of contactinformation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems and methods for the managementof contact information. More particularly, the invention relates tosystems and methods for the management of a user's personal andprofessional contact information, including “outgoing” information(i.e., information by which another may contact the user) and “incoming”information (i.e., information by which the user may contact another,which, when possessed by the user, is said to be in the user's contactlist).

The present invention may include “automatic transfer” processes where,for example, a user transfers his outgoing contact information to one ormore other users with little or no manual transcription of suchinformation, or other effort, by the sender and/or receiver(s) of theinformation.

The present invention may also include “automatic update” processeswhere, for example, a user updates his outgoing contact information andsends his updated contact information to one or more other users withlittle or no manual transcription of such information, or other effort,by the sender and/or receiver(s) of the updated information.

The present invention may also include “automatic customization”processes where, for example, a user customizes his outgoing contactinformation for special purposes (e.g., for an upcoming business trip)and sends his special-purpose contact information (e.g., his temporarycontact information while traveling) to one or more other users withlittle or no manual transcription of such information, or other effort,by the sender and/or receiver(s) of the special-purpose information.

The present invention may also include “automatic delivery” processeswhere, for example, a user sends his outgoing contact information totargeted other users with little or no manual transcription of suchinformation, or other effort, by the sender and/or receivers of suchinformation.

The present invention may also include “automatic storage” processeswhere, for example, a user's incoming contact information is stored in adatabase, with little or no manual transcription of such information, orother effort, by the user.

The present invention may also include “automatic portability” processeswhere, for example, a user's incoming contact information is stored onand/or accessible through multiple devices, with little or no manualtranscription of such information, or other effort, by the user.

The present invention may also include “automatic radial mining”processes where, for example, contact information is mined to yield forone user intelligence concerning his relations to other users, withlittle or no manual transcription of such information, or other effort,by the user.

These and other features of the present invention are apparent in thefollowing Detailed Description of the Invention, considered inconjunction with the accompanying Drawings. It is to be understood,however, that the Detailed Description of the Invention and Drawings arepresented solely for the purposes of illustration, and not as adefinition of the limits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the Drawings, in which like references denote similar elementsthroughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the end-to-end architecture ofone embodiment of a system for the management of contact informationaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a partial detail view of Database 101 of FIG. 1, according toone embodiment of the present invention, illustrating Storage Spaces1011 and 1012;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating the end-to-end architecture ofthe same embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, where elements 101, 102, and 104of FIG. 1 are shown collectively as an internet-based service for themanagement of contact information (“the Service”);

FIG. 2 illustrates a “Welcome” display screen serving as a user'sinterface with the Service via the internet, according to one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates the contents of a sample “Contact InformationProfile” (described below), according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates possible appearances of a sample Contact InformationProfile, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a sample Conveyor (described below), on which ispresent a sample Contact Information Profile in bar code form, accordingto one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the end-to-end architecture ofanother embodiment of a system for the management of contact informationaccording to the present invention (where, as in FIG. 1B, elements 601,602, and 604 of FIG. 1 are shown collectively as the Service, and where,arrows illustrating the means by which User A may interact and/orcommunicate with User B and the means by which each of such users mayinteract and/or communicate with the Service, as shown in FIGS. 1 and1B, are not shown);

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anautomatic update process according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anautomatic customization process according to one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anautomatic delivery process according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anautomatic storage process according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 illustrates the contents of a sample “Return Contact InformationProfile” (described below), according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anautomatic portability process according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 12A is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anautomatic portability process according to another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anautomatic radial mining process according to one embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating the sequence of steps in anotherautomatic radial mining process according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

It is to be understood that the Drawings are not necessarily to scale,but are merely conceptual in nature.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment, System 10, of a system for the management of contactinformation in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIGS.1, 1A, and 1B. As illustrated and described herein, System 10 isdirected toward the management of contact information. However, withminor modifications, System 10 (and other embodiments of the invention)could be used for the management of other types of information; inparticular, other types of information for which automatic transfer,update, customization, storage, portability, and/or radial miningprocesses would be useful for the management thereof. Moreover, asillustrated and described herein, System 10 involves an internet-basedservice and interactions and/or communications via the internet and/orother public computing and/or communications networks. However, thepresent invention could also be embodied for use in private computingand/or communications networks (business, home, or other, wired and/orwireless, including wide-area, local-area, and other networks, andincluding virtual private networks and private networks that areaccessible via the public networks), apart from or in conjunction withthe public networks.

System Components

With reference to FIG. 1, System 10 includes Database 101. Database 101may be a conventional database system (e.g., an enterprise databasesystem by Oracle), having hardware and software for, among other things,receiving, storing, processing, generating, and outputting multipletypes of information. Such hardware and software can be configuredand/or programmed to, among other things, receive, store, process,generate, and/or output the multiple types of information describedhereinafter, in the manner described hereinafter. The configuration andprogramming of Database 101 illustrated and described herein are forpurposes of illustration, not limitation.

With reference to FIG. 1A, Database 101 includes, without limitation,Storage Space 1011 for storing, for each registered user of the system,the user's outgoing contact information. Database 101 also includesStorage Space 1012 for storing, for each registered user, the user'sincoming contact information; collectively, the user's “Master ContactList” (or “MCL”). Storage Spaces 1011 and 1012 each include multiplediscrete storage elements, each element for the storage of a discreteblock of contact information. Each storage element has a unique address(or location) in the database, where each address has a correspondingaddress code. For example, as illustrated, Database 101 shows StorageSpaces 1011 and 1012 for two users, User A (at left) and User B (atright). The first storage element in User A's Storage Space 1011 has anaddress code of “00047700370001”—where the first ten digits identifyUser A (or User A's Storage Spaces), and the last four digits identifythe first storage element within User A's Storage Spaces.

Database 101, Internet Interface 102 (discussed below), andCommunications Gateway 104 (also discussed below), each shown in FIG. 1,are collectively referred to herein as “the Service,” as shown in FIG.1B.

System 10 also includes Internet Interface 102 (sometimes hereinaftersimply “Interface 102”), which, through well-known means, links Database101 to the Internet 103, provides a graphic interface through which auser of the system may interact with Database 101 via the Internet 103,and receives information from and/or sends information to Database 101and/or the user in accordance with the interactions between them. Thatis, through Interface 102 and via the Internet 103, a user may accessthe Service's “web site.” With reference to FIG. 1B, a user may interactwith the Service (through Interface 102) via the Internet 103 using anyone of several devices (other system components, discussed below) thatis internet-enabled and equipped with internet browser software, forexample, a desktop computer; when doing so, Interface 102 provides agraphic interface, displayed on to the desktop computer screen, throughwhich the user may interact with Database 101. FIG. 2 shows an exampleof a “Welcome” Display Screen 20 (one of multiple “screens” in thegraphic interface), which a registered user of the system may see after“logging in” to the Service. Display Screen 20 and other screens in thegraphic interface enable the user to interact with Database 101 by, forexample, “clicking on” and/or typing information into the appropriateblocks on the screen. By clicking on Block 201 (titled “MY MCIPs,”explained below), the user reaches another screen or series of screensenabling him to manage his outgoing contact information, discussedbelow. Similarly, the user may click on Block 202 (titled “MY MCL,”explained below) to manage his incoming contact information, Block 203to manage automatic radial mining processes, Block 204 to search (and/orbrowse) the Service's “Directory” of contact information, or Block 205to enter or change his “Settings”—all of which are also discussed below.

Interaction through Interface 102 is bi-directional; meaning, throughInterface 102, information may flow from the user to Database 101 and/orfrom Database 101 to the user. Such information may be in the form ofsoftware; including, without limitation, software programs (e.g.,application software) and/or software files (e.g., a “ContactInformation Profile” [or “CIP”], discussed further below, which is apacket of information containing and/or representing contact informationdata, and which may be in the form of a software file). ThroughInterface 102, software may be uploaded from the user to the databaseand/or downloaded from the database to the user. A user's interactionwith Database 101 may be active (i.e., where the user initiates theinteraction, either the delivery or retrieval of information) or passive(i.e., where Database 101 or another Service component initiates theinteraction, either the delivery or retrieval of information). As anexample of a passive interaction, following a user's logging in to theService, the Service may initiate retrieval from the user of certainsoftware files for uploading to Database 101.

Through well-known means, Interface 102 may accommodate interactionsthrough multiple types of internet-enabled devices, multiple types ofinternet browser software, and/or multiple means (and connection speeds)of access to the Internet 103 (e.g., dial-up, DSL, cable, wireless,etc., whether narrowband, broadband, or other). For example, if a useraccesses the Service through Interface 102 via the Internet 103 using aninternet-enabled mobile phone equipped with mobile browser software, andlogs into the Service, Interface 102 may provide to such device aWelcome display screen different from that shown in FIG. 2 and bettersuited for interactions through a mobile phone.

Through well-known means, as represented in FIG. 1, users may interactand/or to communicate directly with each other via the Internet 103using multiple types of internet-enabled devices (some of which need notbe equipped with internet browser software). For example, suchinteractions may involve one user's visiting the internet web site ofanother and such communications may be through internet communicationsservices such as e-mail, instant messaging, pop-ups, internet telephony,file-sharing (through a centralized and/or peer-to-peer network), orother, and through such interactions/communications, users may transferbetween them software; including, without limitation, software programsand/or software files (e.g., a CIP).

With reference still to FIG. 1, System 10 also includes CommunicationsGateway 104 (sometimes hereinafter simply “Gateway 104”), which (1)sends to users of the Service communications containing and/or inaccordance with information received by it from Database 101, and/or (2)receives communications from users of the Service and deliversinformation contained in such communications to Database 101. Suchcommunications may incorporate software; including, without limitation,software programs and/or software files (e.g., a CIP). Suchcommunications may be sent via the Internet 103 and/or Other PublicCommunications Networks 105 (sometimes hereinafter simply “Networks105”), by or for receipt by users using multiple types of devices.Networks 105 may include any data (including voice-and-data)communications network, or combination of networks, that enablespoint-to-point communications, whether wireline, wireless, a combinationof both, or other.

Such communications via the Internet 103 may be through internetcommunications services such as e-mail, instant messaging, pop-ups,internet telephony, file-sharing, or other. For example, if such acommunication is through e-mail, Gateway 104 may generate an e-mailmessage and incorporate a software file into the message by attaching itto the message and thus presenting it for downloading by the recipientof the message.

Such communications via Networks 105 may be through other communicationsservices such as telephone service (fixed, wireless, or other),facsimile service, text messaging (i.e., “short messaging service” or“SMS”), paging, walkie-talkie service, or other. For example, if such acommunication is through telephone service, Gateway 104 may initiate acall to a user's mobile phone; after a connection is established, eitherby the user's answering the call or by connection to the user'sdata-enabled “voicemail” service or answering machine, Gateway 104 maytransmit a short automated (or recorded) voice message indicating thatthe Service is sending a software file and then upload the software filefor transmission over such connection and thereby present it fordownloading by the recipient of the call, either during the call, afterthe call, or upon retrieval of his data-enabled voicemail messages.

Through well-known means, as represented in FIG. 1, users maycommunicate directly with each other via Networks 105 using multipletypes of devices. Such communications may be through communicationsservices such as telephone service (fixed, wireless, or other),facsimile service, text messaging, paging, walkie-talkie service, orother, and through such communications, users may transfer between themsoftware; including, without limitation, software programs and/orsoftware files (e.g., a CIP).

It is to be understood that the public computing and/or communicationsnetworks may interconnect. That is, for example, a communicationinitiated on the Internet 103 through internet telephony may terminateon the public telephone network. For purposes of simplicity, FIGS. 1,1B, and 6 do not illustrate such interconnection of networks; however,the present invention contemplates interactions and/or communicationsthrough such interconnection of networks.

In the preferred embodiment, the Service (collectively Database 101,Internet Interface 102, and Communications Gateway 104) is largely orwholly automated; however, the present invention does not preclude humaninvolvement in the Service. For example, if a user of the Service wishesto obtain information from the Service's Directory and uses his mobilephone to make a telephone call to the Service via Networks 105 for thatpurpose, a live operator may be used to attend to the user's call,search the Directory per the user's request, and/or deliver theretrieved information to the user, performing, in that case, some or allof the functions of Gateway 104. Also, though Service elements 101, 102,and 104 are illustrated and described herein as discrete elements, thoseelements may, in certain embodiments of the invention, be physically,functionally, and/or otherwise intertwined.

With reference still to FIG. 1, System 10 also includes Computing And/OrCommunications Devices 106 (sometimes hereinafter simply “Device(s)106”). Devices 106 may include any device at which a user may wish tohave, or provide others, access to his contact information (outgoingand/or incoming); including, without limitation, an enterprise computersystem (with or without a centralized database, used, for example, by abusiness user to manage relationships with customers and/or partners), ahome computer system (with or without a centralized database), apersonal computer (desktop, laptop, notebook, handheld, or other), an“internet appliance” (or “set-top box”), an automated telephone system,a fixed-line telephone (including cordless), a mobile phone, a “smartphone,” a facsimile machine, a pager, an “e-mail pager,” awalkie-talkie, a personal digital assistant (“PDA”), a wrist-watch PDA,a portable music player, an automobile (or other) navigation device orsystem, a home or office network (including the “hub” and anynext-generation networked device, such as a television or other homeappliance), and others. An internet web site of a user is herein alsoconsidered a Device 106 of such user, through which, for example, suchuser may interact with others via the Internet 103, permitting the userto post software files for downloading by visitors to the web siteand/or permitting visitors to the web site to upload software filesthrough the web site for storage, for example, in the user's enterprisecomputer system.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1B, Devices 106 are divided into fourcategories. Category 1061 includes any Device 106 that isinternet-enabled and equipped with internet browser software, such thatit can be used to browse the internet and communicate through internetcommunications services via the Internet 103, such as e-mail; such as,for example, most desktop computers and some mobile phones and PDAs.Category 1062 includes any Device 106 that can be used to communicatethrough an internet communications service via the Internet 103, such ase-mail, but cannot otherwise be used to browse the internet; such as,for example, certain mobile phones, e-mail pagers, and PDAs. Category1063 includes any Device 106 that can be used to communicate through acommunications service via Networks 105; such as, for example, standardfixed-line telephones and mobile phones. Many devices in categories 1061and 1062 can also be used to communicate through communications servicesvia Networks 105; however, for purposes of simplification only, thatfact is not represented in the accompanying drawings. Category 1064 (notshown in the figures) includes any Device 106 that is notinternet-enabled and cannot be used to communicate through anycommunications service via either the Internet 103 or Networks 105; suchas, for example, certain PDAs. A particular Device 106 may fall intomore than one category. For example, a mobile phone that isinternet-enabled and equipped with internet browser software falls intoboth Categories 1061 and 1063 (whereas, a mobile phone that is notinternet-enabled falls into Category 1063 only).

Through well-known means, as represented in FIG. 1, some of Devices 106may be used to transfer software, including, without limitation,software programs and/or software files (e.g., a CIP), from a device ofone user to a device of another user, employing close-proximity datatransmission technologies; including, for example, wireless technologieslike infrared and Bluetooth.

Also through well-known means, though not represented in FIG. 1, some ofDevices 106 may be used to transfer software, including, withoutlimitation, software programs and/or software files (e.g., a CIP), (1)from a device of one user to a device of another user, via privatecomputing and/or communications networks, and (2) from one device of auser to another device of the same user, either employingclose-proximity data transmission technologies or via private computingand/or communications networks.

Each Device 106 for use in System 10 is equipped with some form ofaddress book application software (“address book”)—where “address book”is used broadly to include all forms of such software, from the mostsophisticated (like customer relationship management [“CRM”] and partnerrelationship management [“PRM”] software in enterprise computer systems)to the most basic (like scaled-down programs enabling storage and/orprocessing of only limited amounts or types of contact information,e.g., telephone numbers only), in a variety of environments (including,e.g., an internet web site enabling the downloading and/or uploading ofcontact information). Microsoft's Outlook program, on most desktopcomputers today, is an example of an address book. That program, likeothers of its kind, includes features for the management of one'scalendar, appointments, tasks, alerts, and reminders, which features arereferred to herein as a “calendar,” to some degree integrating suchfeatures with its address book. Many Devices 106 for use in System 10are also equipped with some form of calendar, either included in orapart from the address book. For purposes of simplification only, asused herein, when referring to a Device 106 equipped with a calendar,the term address book includes the calendar. The Outlook program issometimes also referred to as an “e-mail client,” meaning it includesfeatures for the management of one's e-mail communications, to somedegree integrating such features with its address book. Many Devices 106for use in System 10 are also equipped with some form of e-mail client(and/or analogous programs for the management of other types ofcommunications, e.g., mobile phone calls), either included in or apartfrom the address book. For purposes of simplification only, as usedherein, when referring to a Device 106 equipped with an e-mail client(and/or analogous program), the term address book includes the e-mailclient (and/or analogous program).

In the preferred embodiment, one or more of a user's Devices 106 for usein System 10 is equipped with application software specialized for suchuse; however, such specialized application software may not be requiredto deliver the features of the present invention. Such specializedapplication software (hereinafter the “Software Module” or “Module”)provides an interface between the address book on a particular Device106 and the other components (including other Devices 106) of System10—and may, in some cases, add to, modify, and/or disable certainfeatures of the address book itself—in effect enhancing the address bookfor best-case integration of the device with System 10 as a whole. TheSoftware Module may also provide an interface between the address bookon a particular Device 106 and other non-address book applicationsoftware on such device (e.g., Microsoft's Word or InternetExplorer)—and may, in some cases, add to, modify, and/or disable certainfeatures of such other application software—in effect enhancing theintegration of the address book with such other application software. Inthe preferred embodiment of the invention, where contact informationdata is contained in and/or represented by a CIP, the broad functions ofthe Software Module are (1) to enable or enhance the downloading of theCIP to the Device 106, (2) to enable or enhance the uploading of the CIPfrom the Device 106, (3) to enable or enhance the integration of the CIPwith the address book on the Device 106, and/or (4) to enable or enhancethe integration of the CIP with other application software on the Device106. Specific functions of the Software Module are described or apparentin this Detailed Description of the Invention and/or in the accompanyingDrawings. As each Device 106 may have one of a variety of differentdevice specifications (e.g., each device is of a particular type,employs a particular processor, has a particular storage capacity,employs a particular operating system, employs a particular addressbook, etc.), the Software Module for one such Device 106 may bedifferent from the Module for another such device.

The Software Module for a particular Device 106 may be downloaded fromthe Service to the device via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105. Forexample, Database 101 may store multiple versions of the SoftwareModule, each designed for use on Devices 106 of a particular devicespecification. At the time of his registering with the Service(discussed below)—via, for example, the Internet 103 through Interface102, using any Device 106 in Category 1061—the user may be prompted toprovide the Service with certain information concerning his device(s).When the user wishes to download the Software Module to the device inuse, Database 101 delivers to Interface 102 for downloading by the userthe version of the Software Module best-suited for use on such device.

The Software Module may be installed on Devices 106 in many other waysas well. For example, as a stand-alone software module, it may bedistributed on compact discs or otherwise, either directly to the useror to another, for installation on a user's device(s) by the userhimself, by a retail vendor of software and/or devices, by amanufacturer of devices (such that the Module is pre-installed on someor all next-generation devices), or by another. Moreover, the SoftwareModule may be embedded in next-generation versions of other software(application software, operating system, or other)—for example, in anaddress book (like Outlook), in software for installation on devices foruse with certain internet services (like AOL), and in CRM/PRMprograms—and distributed for installation on a user's device(s) bywhatever means such other software may be distributed, including bydownloading via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105. In certaincases—such as the installation of the Software Module on a complexenterprise computer system, the integration of the Module with theCRM/PRM or other programs running on such a system, or the incorporationof the Module into a web site—the installation, integration, and/orincorporation of the Software Module (whether stand-alone or embedded inother software) may require the services of professionals, such asinformation technology consultants.

The Software Module for use on a particular Device 106 may be programmedto expire (or be temporarily disabled) upon the occurrence of apre-determined event (e.g., the reaching of a certain date). If, forexample, some or all registered users of the Service are required to paya monthly fee, the Software Module for use on a particular Device 106may be programmed to expire upon the passage of a pre-determined amountof time (e.g., one month) if the Module is not refreshed within thatamount of time by, for example, the user's engaging the Service. Thatis, each time the user engages the Service—by, for example, using aDevice 106 in Category 1061 to access and log in to the Service via theInternet 103 through Interface 102—a timer within the Module used tocount the passage of time is reset to zero. Where, as explained below,the Software Module on a user's Device 106 may have registered within itthe user's User Identification Code 3011, preferably, in order torefresh such Module, the user must engage the Service through theaccount corresponding to such Code 3011. If, for example, the user hasnot paid his monthly fee, the Service may prevent his engaging theService (by, e.g., temporarily or permanently disabling his ability tolog in to the Service); consequently, the user is unable to refresh theSoftware Module on his device(s) and the Module(s) programmed to expireif not refreshed will expire after the passage of the pre-determinedamount of time. The Service may also, or alternatively, send refresh (orreset) commands to a user's Device(s) 106 in Categories 1061, 1062,and/or 1063 through communications sent from Gateway 104 via theInternet 103 and/or Networks 105 on a periodic basis—for example, once amonth following receipt of the user's monthly fee.

One or more of a user's Devices 106 for use in System 10 may be equippedwith hardware specialized for such use. Such specialized hardware mayinclude, for example, a push-button appearing on a mobile phone's maincontrol panel dedicated for transfer of a user's outgoing CIP. That is,the user may transfer his outgoing CIP—for example, from his mobilephone to another user's mobile phone via a close-proximity datatransmission technology, such as Bluetooth—by a single touch to thededicated push-button. The Software Module on a particular device mayalso be used to render from non-specialized hardware the same or similarfunctionality as specialized hardware may provide.

With reference still to FIG. 1, System 10 also includes Conveyors 107. AConveyor 107 may be any instrument (not in itself a Device 106) on whichis present a CIP in machine-readable form or human-readable form, orboth; and which, as represented in FIG. 1 (for purposes of simplicity,from User A to User B only), may be used to transfer a CIP from one userto another. (A CIP in machine-readable form or human-readable form, orboth, may also be present on any Device 106). A Conveyor 107 may be, forexample, a paper business card, a driver's license, an identificationcard, a passport, a credit card, a “smart card,” a personal accessory(such as a key holder or wrist watch), or other instrument. A CIP inmachine-readable form may be, for example, in the form of a bar code, amagnetic strip, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, atransmitter for close-proximity data transmission technologies, or otherform (where the form may or may not be apparent to human senses,including sight). A CIP in machine-readable form may also be, in wholeor in part, in the form of visible characters (e.g., letters andnumbers), which also are human-readable. One or more of a user's Devices106 may be equipped with a “Reader” (not shown in the figures) fordownloading to the device a CIP present in machine-readable form on aConveyor 107 (or on another Device 106). Corresponding to themachine-readable form of the CIP, the Reader may be, for example, in theform of a bar code scanner, a magnetic strip reader, an RFID receiver, areceiver for close-proximity data transmission technologies, or otherform. The Reader may be integrated within a particular Device 106 (e.g.,a bar code scanner may be built into a mobile phone); or, the Reader maybe stand-alone (e.g., a desktop RFID receiver) or integrated withinanother type of device (e.g., a magnetic strip reader may be built intoan automated ticketing kiosk), where the stand-alone Reader or othertype of device is connected to a particular Device 106 (e.g., theticketing kiosk is connected to the ticket vendor's enterprise computersystem). Any software required for downloading, through a Reader, to aDevice 106 a CIP present in machine-readable form on a Conveyor 107, maybe included in the Reader itself, in another type of device in which theReader is integrated, and/or in the Device 106 (including in theSoftware Module, if any, on such device).

Other systems for the management of contact information in accordancewith the present invention may not include all of the components ofSystem 10 and may not involve all of the means for interactions and/orcommunications of System 10.

The Contact Information Profile (CIP)

Each user of System 10 may have one or more “Master CIP” (“MCIP”), eachcontaining and/or representing all or some of the user's outgoingcontact information data. The MCIP is in the form of a software file. Inthe preferred embodiment of System 10, the MCIP contains and representsthe subject contact information data, as shown in FIG. 3; and, each ofthe MCIPs of a registered user of the Service is stored in one of thestorage elements in such user's Storage Space 1011 in Database 101, asshown in FIG. 1B.

Referring to FIG. 3, sample MCIP 30 includes Information Block 301(“Block 301”), which contains User Identification Code 3011 (or “Code3011”), CIP Identification Code 3012 (or “Code 3012”), CIP Version Code3013 (or “Code 3013”), and CIP Type Code 3014 (or “Code 3014”). UserIdentification Code 3011 is a code (e.g., a string of numerals)identifying the user of System 10 to whom MCIP 30 corresponds. Each userhas a unique User Identification Code; whereas each of a user's outgoingMCIPs has the same User Identification Code. A User Identification Codemay include within it a sub-code indicating the type of user to whom anMCIP corresponds, where, for example, a User Identification Codebeginning with “0” indicates an individual user and a UserIdentification Code beginning with “1” indicates a business user. A CIPIdentification Code is a code assigned to each of a user's MCIPs,serving to distinguish each of such MCIPs from the others. As shown inFIG. 3, MCIP 30 has a Code 3012 of “0001”; if the user to which MCIP 30corresponds has multiple MCIPs, then his other MCIPs may have CIPIdentification Codes of “0002,” “0003,” and so on. As illustrated forMCIP 30, Code 3011 (i.e., “0004770037”) and Code 3012 (i.e., “0001”)together make up the address code (i.e., “00047700370001”) of the firststorage element in User A's Storage Space 1011 in Database 101, as shownin FIG. 1B, in which MCIP 30 is stored. Therefore, Codes 3011 and 3012serve to, among other things, identify the location within Database 101where MCIP 30 can be found.

Referring still to FIG. 3, a CIP Version Code is a code assigned to eachof a user's MCIPs, serving to identify the version of the MCIP. Asshown, MCIP 30 has a Code 3013 of “01,” meaning none of its contents hasbeen modified since its creation. If, for example, the user to whom MCIP30 corresponds modifies its contents by adding a home fax number to thecontact information data contained in it (in Information Block 302,discussed below), then MCIP 30 will be assigned a CIP Version Code of“02.”

Referring still to FIG. 3, CIP Type Code 3014 is a code serving toidentify the type (or types) of contact information data contained in(and represented by) MCIP 30. Types of contact information data can bedefined and categorized in limitless ways. For purposes of illustrationherein, it is assumed that there are broadly two types of users ofSystem 10, “individuals” (including certain groups of individuals, likefamilies) and “businesses” (including not-for-profit organizations,government entities, and the like). It is further assumed thatindividual users (including individuals working at businesses) dividematters broadly into two categories, “personal” and “professional”;while all matters of a business user are “professional.” Finally, it isassumed, therefore, that individual users regard each segment of theircontact information (outgoing and/or incoming) as either of a personalnature, professional nature, or both, and wish to manage their contactinformation accordingly. That is, for example, an individual may wish tosend his personal contact information (e.g., his home address andtelephone number) to personal friends and family, but not to persons hedeals with in his professional capacity (e.g., business clients andcolleagues). For another example, an individual may wish to send bothhis personal contact information and professional contact information(e.g., his office address and telephone number) to his family and closefriends, as well as to certain business colleagues who frequently needto reach him at home.

Therefore, as illustrated herein, each MCIP may have one of five CIPType Codes; “01” (as shown for MCIP 30, for personal contact informationdata), “02” (for professional contact information data), “03” (for bothpersonal and professional contact information data), “04” (forspecial-purpose contact information data), or “05” (for classifiedadvertisement contact information data). A special-purpose MCIP, havinga CIP Type Code of “04,” contains and represents contact informationdata for a large variety of special situations, whether of a personalnature, professional nature, or both. For example, if an individual useris planning a business trip, he may wish to send his temporary contactinformation (e.g., the name, address, and telephone number of the hotelat which he will be staying) to his family and business colleagues, and,therefore, create a special-purpose MCIP for that purpose. For anotherexample, if a business user (e.g., a law firm) is planning a luncheonconference for its clients, it may wish to send to the invitees thecontact information (e.g., name, address, and telephone number) of therestaurant at which the event will be held, and, therefore, create aspecial-purpose MCIP for that purpose. A classified MCIP, having a CIPType Code of “05,” contains and represents contact information datarelating to a variety of possible classified advertisements, whether ofa personal nature, professional nature, or both.

Though, as illustrated herein, there are five types of MCIPs (having CIPType Code “01,” “02,” “03,” “04,” or “05”), each user may have more thanor fewer than five MCIPs. That is, for example, each user may havemultiple personal MCIPs, multiple professional MCIPs, and so on. Forexample, an individual user may have a first personal MCIP (having CIPIdentification Code “0001” and CIP Type Code “01”) containing basicpersonal contact information data (e.g., his principal home address andtelephone number) that he wishes to share with the majority of hispersonal friends, as well as his bank, credit card companies, and othercompanies with whom he does personal business; and a second personalMCIP (having CIP Identification Code “0002” and CIP Type Code “01”)containing his basic personal contact information data as well asadditional personal contact information data (e.g., his mobile phonenumber and the telephone number at his summer home), that he wishes toshare with only his family and closest personal friends. For anotherexample, a business user (e.g., a cable television provider) may have afirst professional MCIP (having CIP Identification Code “0001” and CIPType Code “02”) containing contact information data (e.g., the telephonenumber of its sales department) that it wishes to share with prospectivecustomers; and a second professional MCIP (having CIP IdentificationCode “0002” and CIP Type Code “02”) containing contact information data(e.g., the addresses and telephone numbers of its technical support andbilling departments) that it wishes to share with current customers.

Referring still to FIG. 3, MCIP 30 includes Information Block 302(“Block 302”), which contains contact information data. As MCIP 30 is apersonal MCIP (as shown, having CIP Type Code “01”), it containspersonal contact information data. Block 302 is divided into multiplefields (e.g., numbered “1” through “n”), each to contain a discretesegment of contact information data; for example, first name, middlename, and so on. The manner in which data is divided into fields is forillustrative purposes only. As shown, Block 302 contains data inthirteen fields (and only the fields containing data are shown);however, it may contain less, more, and/or different data. For example,Block 302 may also contain the user's nickname, his home fax number, hisinstant messaging address, his internet protocol address, the URL of hisweb site, the address and telephone number of his summer home, hisspouse's name and birthday, notes (indicating, for example, that fromThursday evening to Sunday evening during the months of July and Augusthe can be reached at his summer home, rather than at his principalresidence), and so on. Block 302 may also contain, for some or all ofthe fields containing data, and for each such field, a code (not shown)corresponding to the data in the field (“data-corresponding code”). Thatis, for example, the data-corresponding code “001” may be assigned to acountry field containing “USA.”

Referring still to FIG. 3, MCIP 30 includes Information Block 303(“Block 303”), which contains information related to the contactinformation data in Block 302. Such related information may include, forexample, expiration dates, effective dates, calendar entries, businesscategories (subcategories), businesses' hours of operation, “locationcodes,” and “character codes.” As shown, MCIP 30 contains only alocation code and a character code. Such related information is bestdescribed through the use of examples. Assume an individual user ishosting a birthday party for her husband Bob at a catering hall onSeptember 4, starting at 8:00 pm. For purposes of (among other things)informing the guests of the catering hall's address, the user creates aspecial-purpose MCIP. In Block 302 the user includes the contactinformation data of the catering hall (for these purposes, the user'soutgoing contact information data). In Block 303 she includes anexpiration date (“September 5”), a calendar entry including date(“September 4”), time (“8:00 pm”), and text (“Bob's Birthday Party atthe Northport Catering Hall”), and an entry for an alert/reminderincluding the time of the reminder (“one week before calendar entry”)and the text of the reminder (“Bob's Birthday Party next Saturday”). Foranother example, assume an individual user creates a personal MCIP toshare only with her parents, siblings, and closest friends. She mayinclude in Block 303 multiple recurring alert/reminder entries, one foreach of her children's birthdays. Each entry includes the date (e.g.,“March 18”) of one of the birthdays and associated text (e.g., “Bobby'sBirthday”). For another example, assume an individual user is planning aten-day business trip in three European cities. She creates aspecial-purpose MCIP to share with her husband, her children at college,and her office assistant. She may include in Block 302 the contactinformation data for the three hotels at which she will be staying. InBlock 303 she includes different effective dates for the contactinformation data of each of the three hotels; for example, she entersthe period “March 3 through March 8” for the contact information data in“field 1 through field 4” (that of the hotel in London). For anotherexample, in creating a professional MCIP, a florist (a business user)enters his store's address in Block 302 and, in Block 303, selects the“florist” business category, enters his hours of operation, andauthorizes the entry of a location code corresponding to his store'saddress. The location code (represented in the figure by a string of“1s” and “0s”), generated by the Service from information in a database(e.g., Database 101), may be in any form sufficient to identify theprecise location of the listed address, in a manner the same as orsimilar to the manner in which a precise location may be determinedusing the Global Positioning System (“GPS”); for example, it may be astring of numerals identifying the longitude/latitude coordinates of theaddress's location on a grid of the earth. An MCIP may contain alocation code for each address listed in Block 302, where each addressoccupies a designated range of fields. For a final example, an MCIP maycontain in Block 303 a character code, where, for example, code “010”indicates that the contact information data in Block 302 is in theArabic alphabet. Block 303 may also contain data-corresponding codes;for example, a data-corresponding code “316” may be assigned to abusiness category field containing “florist.”

Referring still to FIG. 3, MCIP 30 includes Information Block 304(“Block 304”), which contains software (represented in the figure by astring of “1s” and “0s”) defining the appearance of the MCIP. That is,an MCIP (and, in some cases, a CIP derived from an MCIP, as explainedbelow) may, in certain environments (e.g., when one's outgoing CIP isdownloaded to one's desktop computer screen), appear to a user in theform of a still image, hiding some or all of its contents, in much thesame way as visual representations of common software files appear onone's desktop computer screen. In certain environments, a user may, ashe does with such common software files, operate upon an MCIP (or CIP)by, for example, “clicking,” “right-clicking,” or “dragging anddropping” its appearance. A user may view the contact information data(and certain other information) contained in a CIP by, for example, inthe case of a CIP stored on a desktop computer screen, right-clicking onthe appearance of the CIP and selecting the “view” command, where thecontact information data is compiled from the multiple completed fieldsand presented for viewing in a standard readable format. In otherembodiments, the appearance of a CIP may include moving images or sound(e.g., a recorded greeting or music).

The variety of possible appearances of the MCIP (or CIP) is limitless.The Service may set the design parameters and provide the design tools,and otherwise permit each user to custom design the appearance of hisoutgoing MCIPs. The design tools may include, for example, the abilityof a user to include a photograph of himself in the appearance of hisoutgoing MCIPs. Three examples of MCIP appearances are shown in FIG. 4.MCIP 40 (the appearance of MCIP 30 in FIG. 3) displays the word“personal” (to indicate that it is a personal MCIP) and the user'snickname, but not his complete contact information. As shown, MCIP 40(and the others in the figure) displays the “Service Provider's”trademark (here shown as the letters “CIP” within a circle), to informwould-be recipients of the CIP of its nature and source. MCIP 41 is thesame user's professional MCIP, in the shape of a paper business card. Itdisplays the user's complete professional contact information and hiscompany's name and logo. The “CIP” trademark appears only as a tab tothe card, so as not to interfere with its principal design. Also shownin FIG. 4 is MCIP 42, created by a business user (a restaurant). MCIP 42displays the restaurant's name, the restaurant's complete contactinformation, a photograph of the view from the restaurant, and a banneradvertisement, all designed by the user.

Referring again to FIG. 3, MCIP 30 includes Information Block 305(“Block 305”), which may contain additional software (also representedin the figure by a string of “1s” and “0s”) for communicating with theSoftware Module, other application software (including address book),and/or operating system on a Device 106, where the broad functions ofsuch software are similar to the broad functions of the Software Moduledescribed above. For example, Block 305 may contain one or more “toggleinstructions” concerning the manner in which MCIP 30 (or a derived CIP)is to be downloaded to a Device 106; for example, as explained below, atoggle instruction may instruct the device whether to treat the CIP asan outgoing CIP or incoming CIP. A toggle instruction, if enabled duringdownloading, is disabled following downloading in accordance with theenabled instruction, such that, for example, if the CIP is latertransferred to another Device 106, the instruction is disabled duringdownloading to such other device. For another example, Block 305 mayinclude information concerning the manner in which a user may operateupon MCIP 30 (or a derived CIP) while it is stored on a Device 106. Thatis, for example, the information in Block 305 may concern the ability ofthe user to right-click on the appearance of MCIP 30 on his desktopcomputer screen to reveal a menu of operations common to CIPs, such as“View.” For another example, Block 305 may include one or more messagesto users; for example, a “help” message to assist recipients of CIPs whoare unfamiliar with the CIP and/or the Service.

A CIP in the form of a software file derived from an MCIP is a copy ofthe MCIP (either an exact copy or a copy scaled-down in contents and/orconverted in form) present anywhere other than in Storage Space 1011 inDatabase 101 (where MCIPs are stored)—for example, stored in StorageSpace 1012 in Database 101, stored on a Device 106, or in transit (e.g.,incorporated in a communication via Networks 105)—where such copying(and scaling-down and/or conversion, if any) may be performed, forexample, at the Service or at a Device 106 (e.g., during uploading ordownloading). A CIP in machine-readable and/or human-readable formderived from an MCIP is discussed below. Herein, in discussing theelements of such derived CIPs, reference is sometimes made to FIG. 3(as, for example, a CIP in the form of a software file derived from MCIP30 and containing a User Identification Code contains the same UserIdentification Code as Code 3011 in MCIP 30).

With reference to FIG. 5, Business Card 50 (or “Card 50”) is a sample ofa Conveyor 107 (shown in FIG. 1), on which is present a CIP in samplemachine-readable form derived from sample MCIP 41 (shown in FIG. 4).Card 50 displays on its front side in human-readable form, among otherthings, the contact information data contained in Block 302 (not shown)of MCIP 41 (where, if such data in such form is not alsomachine-readable by a Reader, such data in such form is not part of theCIP). Card 50 displays on its back side, in bar code form, the CIPderived from MCIP 41. The CIP in bar code form may be displayed on thefront side of Card 50 or otherwise than as shown in FIG. 5. The bar codeis illustrated in FIG. 5 as a sample one-dimensional bar code, thoughother types of bar codes (e.g., two-dimensional bar codes) may also beused. The symbology of the bar code may be either one of the severalstandards currently employed in government and industry or onecustomized for use in System 10; where the selection of the symbologymay depend on a number of factors, such as, for example, the amountand/or type of information to be included in the bar code, the desiredbar code density, and the cost of printing the bar code. In thepreferred embodiment, the CIP in bar code form contains at least Code3011 (e.g., “0004770037”) and Code 3012 (e.g., “0003”) of MCIP 41 (wheresuch numeric codes may be translated, for example, into alpha-numericcodes to accommodate the symbology used). The bar code may include otherinformation that may be necessary for the reading of the bar code (e.g.,if employing certain of the standard symbologies, a code identifying theService Provider). The CIP in bar code form may also contain some or allof the other information (or translations of the other information)contained in MCIP 41 in Blocks 301, 302 (i.e., the contact informationdata), 303, 304, and/or 305.

In the preferred embodiment, Codes 3011 and 3012 in an MCIP (or CIP) arenot viewable by, or otherwise made known to, a user; meaning, forexample, that a user cannot “view” such codes contained in a CIP in theform of a software file. In other embodiments, such codes may beviewable by, or otherwise made known to, a user. For example, such codesmay be displayed in human-readable form on Card 50, either in additionto or instead of the bar code (where such codes in such form, whether ornot they are also machine-readable by a Reader, are a CIP). For anotherexample, the Service may communicate (e.g., verbally or in writing) suchcodes in human-readable form to a user—the user to whom the MCIPcorresponds and/or another user—and one user may then communicate suchcodes in human-readable form to another user (where such codes in suchform are a CIP). In such other embodiments, the Software Module on aDevice 106 may enable a user to download a CIP to such device bymanually inputting such codes.

The Service

With reference to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 1B, in System 10, a user may registerwith the Service by, for example, accessing the Service's web site viathe Internet 103 through Interface 102, using any Device 106 in Category1061 (e.g., his desktop computer). Interface 102 presents to the user ascreen (or series of screens) prompting the user to enter “RegistrationInformation.” Following the prompts, the user enters, among otherthings, his chosen “User Name” and “Password,” and, if required, hispayment information (e.g., his credit card information). Once suchinformation is entered and accepted, the user is a registered user (or“Member”) of the Service, having an account with the Service. TheService assigns to the new Member a User Identification Code 301 andcorresponding Storage Spaces 1011 and 1012 in Database 101; andregisters the correspondence between the Member's User IdentificationCode 301 and his chosen User Name/Password. At this or another time, theMember may enter additional Registration Information concerning groupaccess to the account. That is, for example, assuming the user is adistributor of medical devices (a business user), the user may definethe original Password as that of the account administrator (i.e., theperson or persons permitted full access to the account). Under the sameUser Name, the administrator may enter other passwords permittinglimited access to the account, as defined by the administrator for eachother password using tools provided by the Service. The administratormay disclose the User Name and one of the other passwords to each memberof its sales staff, where, for example, logging in with one suchpassword permits one member of the staff to view all incoming CIPs inthe Master Contact List that are categorized (by the administrator) in afolder called “Current and Prospective Customers in Southwest Region,”but does not permit that member to view other incoming CIPs in theMaster Contact List or otherwise have access to the account. Theadministrator may deactivate any such other password at any time.

Interface 102 may then present to the new Member Display Screen 20,shown in FIG. 2, with a special instruction to click on the “MySettings” Block 205 to enter his other “Settings.” At this point, theMember is said to be “engaging” the Service. Each time a Member wishesto engage the Service, through the Service's web site or otherwise, heis required to log in to the Service (i.e., enter his User Name andPassword)—though, using technology that is common today, the Servicemay, at the Member's request, “remember” the Member's User Name and/orPassword so as to streamline the log-in procedure. Clicking on Block 205of Display Screen 20, the user is presented with another screen (orseries of screens) through which he may enter his other Settings, whichmay include his “Device Information” and “General Preferences.”

Device Information includes information about the Device(s) 106 a userregisters for his account with the Service (sometimes hereinafter“registered Device(s) 106”). A user may use the Service using a Device106 other than one of his registered Devices 106; for example, he mayuse a friend's laptop computer to engage the Service through Interface102 via the Internet 103 to manage his Master Contact List. RegisteredDevices 106 may include, for example, for a business user's account, adevice of an employee of the user, which same device may also be aregistered Device 106 for the employee's (individual user) account withthe Service. Device Information may include, for each registered Device106, information sufficient to identify the type of device (e.g.,“desktop computer”). The Service may assign a distinct number (or otheridentifier) to each of a user's registered Devices 106 (e.g., “Device1”). Device Information may also include, for example, for eachregistered Device 106, the make/model of the device, the make/version ofthe operating system on the device, and the make/version of the addressbook on the device. The Service may provide, as it prompts the user forsuch information, a series of “pull-down bars” displaying for the userpossible responses to the prompts and instructions for finding therequested information—where some such information may be derived by theService from other information entered by the user.

A user's General Preferences define whether and/or how the user wishesto enjoy (or otherwise participate in) each of the variety of featuresoffered by the Service. Again, the Service prompts the user through theprocess of entering his General Preferences. A user's GeneralPreferences may include the means by which the Service may communicate,through Gateway 104 via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105, with eachof the user's registered Devices 106. That is, for example, a user mayindicate that the Service may communicate with his desktop computer bye-mail at the e-mail address he specifies. The Service may enable a userto enter more than one means for such communication for each of hisDevices 106; for example, for his mobile phone in Category 1061, a usermay enter both his mobile phone number and an e-mail address. The samemeans for communication may be entered for more than one of the user'sDevices 106; for example, a user may enter an e-mail address as a meansfor such communication for both his desktop computer and his mobilephone, where the user can access the e-mails sent to such address usingboth of those devices. Where a single device (e.g., an individual'sdesktop computer) is a registered Device 106 for more than one user(e.g., for a business user, where the individual is an employee of thebusiness, and for the individual's own account as an individual user),the same means for communication with such device (e.g., by e-mail atthe individual's professional e-mail address) may be entered for bothsuch users.

A user's General Preferences may also include, without limitation, thefollowing: Concerning “automatic transfer” processes (discussed indetail below), which may involve one user's retrieval of another user'soutgoing CIP(s) from the Service's Directory, a user may define whetheror not all of his outgoing personal, professional,personal-professional, special-purpose, and/or classified CIPs are to becompiled in the Service's Directory for retrieval by other users.Concerning “automatic update,” “automatic customization,” and “automaticdelivery” processes (all discussed in detail below), which may involvethe Service's initial sending of an updated/special-purpose/other CIP toa user, the user may choose the manner in which the Service sends suchinitial updated/special-purpose/other CIPs (e.g., by e-mail, withpersonal CIPs and special-purpose CIPs going to his personal e-mailaddress and professional CIPs going to his professional e-mail address),where the Service may enable a user to choose to have the Serviceinitially send updated/special-purpose/other CIPs to one or more thanone of his Devices 106 and/or via one or more than one form ofcommunication. Concerning “automatic storage” processes (discussed indetail below), which may involve the Service's storage of a user'sincoming CIPs in the user's Master Contact List, the user may opt out ofsuch storage for any type (or all types) of incoming CIPs. Concerning“automatic portability” processes (discussed in detail below), which mayinvolve the Service's distribution of a user's incoming CIPs to a user'smultiple Devices 106, the user may, for example, opt out of suchdistribution for any type (or all types) of incoming CIPs, for one ormore of his Devices 106, and/or under certain circumstances, and, withrespect to each type of incoming CIP, each device, and/or eachcircumstance for which he has not opted out of distribution, define themanner in which the Service distributes such incoming CIPs to each ofsuch devices (e.g., for personal incoming CIPs, only in batches of tenor more by a single e-mail with the subject line “Distributed PersonalCIPs,” which he can access [multiple times] from each of his devices,but can choose not to from the mobile phone he uses exclusively forwork). For another example, the user may set preferences indicating thathe wishes the Service to distribute incoming CIPs by multiple e-mailmessages (addressed to one or multiple e-mail addresses), each directedto one of the user's devices and each having a distinct subject line(e.g., “Distributed CIPs for Your Desktop Computer”). Concerning“automatic radial mining” processes (discussed in detail below), whichmay involve the Service's mining of information contained in the CIPsstored in a user's Storage Spaces 1011 and/or 1012 in Database 101, inbehalf of (at least partially) another user, the first user may, forexample, define whether such mining is permitted or not for each of suchprocesses.

A user's General Preferences may also define whether and/or how a userwishes the Service to distribute his outgoing and/or incoming CIPs toother users, including Connected CIP Distributors 608 (or “Distributors608”), shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 illustrates System 60, another embodimentof a system for the management of contact information according to thepresent invention, where components 601-607 correspond to components101-107 of System 10 shown in FIGS. 1-1B and where, as in FIG. 1B,elements 601, 602, and 604 of FIG. 6 are shown collectively as theService. Referring to FIG. 6, the Service may have a “connection” withone or more Distributors 608 through which it may distribute a user'soutgoing and/or incoming CIPs to such distributors. Distributors 608,which are internet-based or other services (other than the Service), maythen further distribute such CIPs on and/or in behalf of the user.Distributors 608 may include, without limitation, internet serviceproviders (“ISPs”) and/or internet portals (e.g., AOL);telecommunications service providers; internet and/or telephonedirectory services (e.g., Infospace, Sprint PCS's “411” service);internet search services (e.g., Google); postal services (e.g., theapplicable local office of the United States Postal Service); nationaland/or state “do-not-call” and/or “do-not-e-mail” registries; retailvendors of software and/or devices; printing services (e.g., those thatmay print a user's Card 50 as shown in FIG. 5); newspaper, magazine, andother print publishers (e.g., those that may print a business user's CIPin machine-readable form, such as that shown in FIG. 5, as part of aprinted advertisement); and many others.

Considering the example of the ISP/portal, such service typicallyprovides for each user of that service an on-line address book (oftenincluding an on-line calendar and e-mail client). For the benefit of itsMembers, the Service may distribute a Member's outgoing and/or incomingCIPs to an ISP/portal of which the Member is also a user. In the case ofa Member's outgoing MCIPs, for example, following the Member's creationof an MCIP at the Service, the Service may distribute a derived outgoingCIP to such ISP/portal such that it is readily available to the Memberwhen he is engaging that other service. In the case of a Member'sincoming CIPs, for example, the Service may distribute such CIPs to suchISP/portal such that the CIPs (and/or the information contained in them)are stored in the Member's on-line address book at such other service.

Consider now the example of the telecommunications service provider. Inthe case of a Member's (particularly a business user's) outgoing MCIPs,such Member may authorize the Service to distribute a derived outgoingCIP to such provider, for further distribution to to its subscribers,under certain circumstances (including, as defined by such Member in hisGeneral and/or Specific Preferences). For example, a provider of mobilephone service may deliver to the Service (e.g., via its connection withthe Service) information (e.g., location codes) concerning the currentlocations of its subscribers. If the current location code of one ofsuch subscribers represents a location within a designated distance(e.g., 5 miles) from the location represented by the location code insuch Member's (e.g., a 24-hour diner off a remote stretch of highway)outgoing CIP, the Service may distribute such CIP to such provider viaits connection with such provider, for further distribution (e.g., via amobile phone call) to such subscriber. Preferably, where such subscriberis also a Member of the Service, the provider delivers to the Service,together with his current location codes, information sufficient toidentify such Member (e.g., one of such Member's outgoing CIPs or suchMember's Code 3011). The Service may enable a user to set General and/orSpecific Preferences as a would-be recipient of other users' outgoingCIPs in this manner; thus, in the example above and using suchsubscriber/Member's Code 3011 to retrieve and review his preferences,the Service may distribute or not such CIP to such provider, inaccordance with such preferences.

Consider now the example of the internet/telephone directory service.Again in the case of a Member's outgoing MCIPs, for example, followingthe Member's creation of an MCIP at the Service, the Service maydistribute a derived outgoing CIP to such directory service either atthat time for its listing in such service's database (and/or itsprinting, in a format similar to that shown in FIG. 5, in such service'spaper directory, e.g., the Yellow Book) or at a later time in responseto a specific search request entered at the other service and forwardedto the Service (also via the connection), where such service may enablesearching analogous to that described below in connection with TransferTypes 5 and/or 6. In the case of a Member's incoming CIPs, for example,the Service may distribute such CIPs to such directory service such thatthe Member (and only the Member) may access the CIPs in his MasterContact List through such other service in much the same way that he mayaccess his Master Contact List through the Service.

Consider finally the example of the internet search service. In the caseof a Member's outgoing MCIPs, for example, following the Member'screation of an MCIP at the Service, the Service may distribute a derivedoutgoing CIP to such search service, in a manner similar to thatdescribed above for the directory service, for inclusion of the CIPs insuch service's index of searchable information, where such service mayenable searching analogous to that described below in connection withTransfer Types 5 and/or 6.

The connection between the Service and each of Distributors 608 may beby any means for securely exchanging between them information like thatdescribed above, including via the Internet 103, Networks 105, privatecomputing and/or communications networks, and/or other such means(including, for example, in the case of the Service's simply sharinginformation contained in Database 101, the periodic manual transfer ofcomputer discs storing such information). And, as illustrated above, theexchange of information between the Service and each of Distributors 608may be pursuant to any of a variety of possible protocols; including,for example, the Service's “push” of select information to Distributor608 and/or Distributor 608's “pull,” where permitted, of selectinformation from the Service. As shown in FIG. 6, other users mayinteract and/or communicate directly with Distributors 608 via theInternet 103 and/or Networks 105 (or otherwise, as, for example, in thecase of a Distributor 608 printing CIPs in a paper directory). Throughsuch interactions/communications, a user may “obtain” CIPs distributedby Distributors 608. Also through such interactions/communications, auser may himself “post” CIPs for distribution by Distributors 608(without the Service's distribution of such CIPs to such distributors).For example, a user may visit the web site of an internet directoryservice and upload from his device in use an outgoing MCIP for inclusionin the service's directory; similarly, a user may upload the incomingCIPs on his device in use to his on-line address book at an ISP/portal.

Referring still to FIG. 6, System 60 may also include one or moreNon-Connected CIP Distributors 609 (or “Distributors 609”), also usersof the system, which are internet-based or other services (other thanthe Service) that have no such “connection” with the Service but maynevertheless distribute a user's outgoing and/or incoming CIPs on and/orin behalf of the user. Distributors 609 may likewise include, withoutlimitation, ISPs/portals; telecommunications service providers; internetand/or telephone directory services; internet search services; postalservices; national and/or state “do-not-call” and/or “do-not-e-mail”registries; and many others. Other users may likewise interact and/orcommunicate directly with Distributors 609 via the Internet 103 and/orNetworks 105 (or otherwise). Thus, a user may likewise “obtain” CIPsdistributed by Distributors 609 and/or himself “post” CIPs fordistribution by Distributors 609. For example, a restaurant (a businessuser) may post its outgoing CIP at the web site of the “Zagat”restaurant guide (in this example, a Distributor 609), where a visitorto the web site may read a review of the restaurant and, if interested,download its outgoing CIP to his device in use.

Concerning again a user's General Preferences, the Service may prompt auser through the process of entering his General Preferences withrespect to Distributors 608, by, for example, identifying each suchdistributor, describing the nature of distribution to/by each, andinquiring whether and/or how the user wishes to have such distribution.In certain cases, it may be required that the user have a memberrelationship with a particular Distributor 608 in order to havedistribution to/by such distributor; and, in such cases, the Service mayprompt the user for information necessary to establish that such arelationship exists. For example, if the user wishes to have suchdistribution through an ISP/portal such as AOL, then he must establishthat he is an AOL subscriber by entering his AOL user name, his AOLpassword, and/or other information.

Other examples of General Preferences are described or apparentelsewhere herein. Each user's General Preferences and other Settings arestored in Database 101. A user may at any time change them by engagingthe Service and, for example, clicking on the “My Settings” Block 205 ofDisplay Screen 20, shown in FIG. 2.

A user may also set “Specific Preferences,” which are preferencesspecific to a particular CIP, outgoing and/or incoming. Where a SpecificPreference conflicts with a General Preference, the Specific Preferenceoverrides the General Preference and is the prevailing preference. Auser may set Specific Preferences for each of his outgoing MCIPs in hisStorage Space 1011 in Database 101, either upon a particular MCIP'screation or at any time thereafter by, for example, clicking on the “MyMCIPs” Block 201 of Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2, which revealsanother screen (or screens) for managing one's outgoing MCIPs. For eachof his outgoing MCIPs, a user may set Specific Preferences defining, forexample, whether and/or how it is to be distributed to/by each ofDistributors 608, whether it is to be compiled in the Service'sDirectory for searching by others, and whether it may be mined by theService for each automatic radial mining process involving mining ofoutgoing MCIPs—each case an opportunity to override a General Preferenceor an earlier-set Specific Preference. If, for example, a user sets fora particular outgoing MCIP a Specific Preference overriding a preference(either a General Preference or an earlier-set Specific Preference) thatit be distributed to a particular Distributor 608, and the MCIP waspreviously distributed as per his now-overridden preference, then theService may, through its connection with such distributor or otherwise,cease such distribution to/by such distributor on a going-forward basis.A user may also set Specific Preferences for his incoming CIPs. Forincoming CIPs in a user's Storage Space 1012 in Database 101, he may doso at any time by, for example, clicking on the “My MCL” Block 202 ofDisplay Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2, which reveals another screen (orscreens) for managing one's Master Contact List. For each of theseincoming CIPs, a user may set Specific Preferences defining, forexample, whether it may be mined by the Service for each automaticradial mining process involving mining of incoming CIPs. Other examplesof Specific Preferences are described or apparent elsewhere herein. Eachuser's Special Preferences are stored in Database 101. Each outgoingand/or incoming CIP in a user's Storage Spaces 1011 and/or 1012 inDatabase 101 having one or more Specific Preferences assigned to it maybe marked as such (e.g., with the letters “SP” next to it) for theuser's convenience in managing his CIPs.

Following the user's entry of certain of his Settings, the Service mayinform the user that he now has the opportunity to download (or send fordownloading) a Software Module to one or more of his Devices 106 (thoughhe also may do so at any time thereafter by, for example, returning tothe “My Settings” Block 205 of Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2). Inorder to do so for each of his Devices 106 on which the appropriateversion of the Software Module is not already installed (through, forexample, the means for installing the Software Module described above),the user follows the Service's prompts to arrange for downloading (orsending for downloading) or otherwise installing the appropriateSoftware Module on each such device. For example, the user may firstidentify his device in use (e.g., Device 1) and click on the “download”command. In response to that command, Database 101 may use informationin the user's Device Information to retrieve the appropriate version ofthe Software Module for such device and deliver it to Interface 102,which then delivers it via the Internet 103 for downloading to thedevice. The user may also instruct the Service to send the SoftwareModule to each of his other Devices 106 in categories 1061 and/or 1062via the Internet 103 by, for example, attaching the appropriate versionof the Module to an individual e-mail directed to each such device. Inresponse to such instruction, and using information in the user's DeviceInformation and General Preferences, Database 101 delivers to Gateway104 the appropriate version of the Module for each such device and thee-mail address for communicating with each such device, and Gateway 104generates and sends the individual e-mails for downloading of the Moduleto each such device. Where particular communications services enable thedelivery of the software Module to a particular Device 106 in Category1063 via Networks 105, the user may similarly instruct the Service tosend the Software Module to each such device. Otherwise, for each of theuser's Devices 106 on which the Software Module is not alreadyinstalled, the Service may apprise the user of the options forinstalling the Module on each such device through, for example, themeans for installation described above.

The Service may also inform the user that he now has the opportunity tocreate one or more outgoing MCIPs (though he also may do so at any timethereafter by, for example, returning to the “My MCIPs” Block 201 ofDisplay Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2). In the preferred embodiment ofSystem 10, a user may create or modify an outgoing MCIP only whileengaging the Service, for example, using any Device 106 in category 1061to visit and log in to the Service's web site via the Internet 103through Interface 102. After the creation or modification of an outgoingMCIP, it may be downloaded from the Service to any or all of the user'sDevices 106. An outgoing MCIP downloaded to a particular Device 106 maybe programmed to expire (or be temporarily disabled) upon the occurrenceof a pre-determined event; or, the Software Module for use on aparticular Device 106 may be programmed to erase (or temporarilydisable) an outgoing MCIP stored on such device upon the occurrence of apre-determined event. If, for example, some or all Members of theService are required to pay a monthly fee, the Software Module on aparticular Device 106 may be programmed to erase each of the outgoingMCIPs stored on such device upon the passage of a pre-determined amountof time (e.g., one month) if the Module is not refreshed within thatamount of time (in a similar manner to that described above for theexpiration of the Software Module itself). The Software Module mayidentify the outgoing MCIPs on the particular device through a number ofmeans; for example, the Software Module on each of a user's Devices 106may have registered within it the user's User Identification Code 3011(or a further-encoded such code, which the Module may decode todetermine Code 3011) and, where such is the case, any MCIP stored onsuch device having the same Code 3011 is an outgoing CIP. In anyembodiments where a user may be able to create and/or modify hisoutgoing MCIPs directly on a non-engaged Device 106, the Software Moduleand/or the CIP itself (in the case of modifying a previously-createdCIP) may contain software enabling the user to create and/or modify suchCIPs. Any software contained in a CIP itself for its expiring (or beingdisabled) upon the occurrence of a pre-determined event or its enablingits own modification is contained in Block 305 of sample MCIP 30 shownin FIG. 3.

A user may create an outgoing MCIP at the Service by, for example,clicking on the “My MCIPs” Block 201 of Display Screen 20 shown in FIG.2, which reveals another screen (or screens) for managing (includingcreating) one's outgoing MCIPs. In the screen (or screens) for creatingan MCIP, the Service prompts the user through the process of enteringinformation; including, the type of MCIP, contact information data,and/or related information. The prompts for information may depend uponthe type of MCIP the user wishes to create; for example, if the user hasindicated he wishes to create a professional to MCIP, then the Servicemay prompt him to enter, among other things, a business category, wheresuch prompt may not be included, for example, in the process of creatinga personal MCIP. In the preferred embodiment, in order to promote theentry of information that is complete, accurate, and in a uniform format(such that like data in all users' MCIPs is in like format), the Serviceprompts the user, for example, to enter contact information dataseparately for each field (or portion of field), employing, wherepossible for each field (or portion of field), a pull-down bar listingpossible responses to the prompt. For example, referring to FIG. 3, thedata in the “Mobile Phone Number” field may be collected in threeportions. First, the Service may prompt the user to enter the area code,using a pull-down bar to select among all possible area codes in, forexample, the United States (assumed by the Service because of the user'sentry of “USA” in a previous field). If the mobile phone does not have aUnited States area code, then the user may select another country andview all possible area codes in the newly-selected country. From theUnited States area codes, the user selects and enters “917.” Next, theService may prompt the user to enter the three-digit extension for hismobile phone, using a pull-down bar to select among all possibleextensions for his area code. Finally, the Service may prompt the userto enter manually the last four digits of his number. Thus, the data forthe “Mobile Phone Number” field is not corrupted by superfluous spacesor characters (like parentheses, dots, or dashes) that people typically,though inconsistently, use when writing or manually inputting completetelephone numbers. Though collected in three portions, when, forexample, a user wishes to “View” the mobile phone number (and othercontact information data) contained in a CIP, that data may be displayed(as shown in FIG. 3) in a standard format (e.g., in a single filed, withdots separating the three portions of the field). By prompting the userin the above manner, the Service has generated an additional piece ofdata not entered directly by the user—that is, that the country code forthe user's mobile phone number is “1” (for the United States). Thoughnot shown in FIG. 3, such piece of data may be included in MCIP 30 forpurposes of, for example, its viewing by another user (as needed) or itsuse (as needed) in another user's speed dialing of the user's mobilephone number from a device on which the CIP is stored. The Service maysimilarly generate and include in an MCIP other information—for example,location codes, character codes, and data-corresponding codes—where suchinformation, like the piece of data generated in the above example, mayalso be used in automated processes.

After the user has completed his entry of information, the Service maypresent him with templates and/or tools for designing the appearance ofthe MCIP. The tools may include means for using an image selected from alibrary of images maintained by the Service and/or another image (e.g.,the user's photograph) uploaded by the user to the Service. The Servicemay apply a default appearance where the user has designed none.

In the user's entering his information in and/or designing theappearance of his MCIP, the Service may enable him to import some or allof the information from another CIP, outgoing and/or incoming, andthereafter edit the information and/or appearance as desired. Forexample, if a user wishes to create a special-purpose outgoing CIPcontaining the contact information data of the hotel at which he will bestaying during an upcoming business trip, he may select the hotel's CIP(from, e.g., his Master Contact List), import it into thespecial-purpose CIP he is creating, and thereafter edit hisspecial-purpose CIP as desired.

When the user instructs the Service to “save” his newly-created MCIP,the Service assigns to it (and includes within it) the appropriate UserIdentification Code 3011, CIP Identification Code 3012, CIP Version Code3013 (“01” for a newly-created MCIP), and CIP Type Code 3014, includeswithin it appropriate information in Blocks 302, 303, 304, and/or 305,and stores it in the storage element in the user's Storage Space 1011,in Database 101, having an address code corresponding to Codes 3011 and3012, taken together. The Service may then prompt the user through theprocess of assigning Specific Preferences (if any) to the MCIP. Then, ifcalled for in the user's prevailing preferences, the Service maydistribute the MCIP to one or more Distributors 608. The Service mayalso present the user the opportunity to transfer his newly-createdMCIP, through the Service, to other users, in a manner analogous to thatdescribed below in connection with the preferred automatic customizationprocess.

If the user wishes, he may create one or more outgoing MCIPs containingthe same information as the newly-created MCIP, but presented indifferent characters. That is, for example, if the newly-created MCIP isin the Arabic alphabet, he may create another outgoing MCIP in the Romanalphabet, where the Service may provide the user translation assistance.The outgoing MCIP in the Roman alphabet may be assigned the same Codes3011-3014 and stored in such user's Storage Space 1011 as correspondingto the newly-created MCIP.

The user may, if he wishes, create an outgoing MCIP (or multipleoutgoing MCIPs) for the specific purpose of having it compiled in theService's Directory and/or distributed to one or more Distributors 608(e.g., an internet search service), even if he chooses not to downloadsuch CIP to any of his Devices 106 (discussed below). That is, forexample, the user may create an MCIP containing as much contactinformation data, and no more contact information data, than he iscomfortable making available for search in the Directory, and set apreference permitting compilation of such CIP in the Directory. He mayset preferences prohibiting the compilation in the Directory of hisother outgoing MCIPs. For another example, a business user may create anoutgoing MCIP displaying in its appearance a banner advertisement, likeMCIP 42 shown in FIG. 4, which he has compiled in the Directory anddistributed to an internet search service, but does not use for anyother purpose. The user may update the MCIP as he wishes, for example,on a weekly basis to advertise weekly specials. Particularly foroutgoing MCIPs that are to be compiled in the Directory, a user may wishto provide the Service with more related information (described above inconnection with Block 303 of sample MCIP 30) than he might otherwiseprovide the Service for other outgoing MCIPs. That is, for example, auser wishing to compile a personal outgoing MCIP in the Directory mayenter a maiden name, date of birth, the names of her high school andcollege, as well as her years of graduation, her hobbies, and so on; allinformation designed to make the searching of the Directory moreproductive (e.g., where one user is searching for the CIP of an old highschool friend with whom she lost contact 20 years ago). Similarly, forexample, a user wishing to compile in the Directory a classifiedoutgoing MCIP for the sale of his used bicycle may enter the make,model, condition, and price of the bicycle. Such additional relatedinformation may be contained in the outgoing MCIP itself (in, e.g.,Block 303) or, instead, stored in such user's Storage Space 1011 ascorresponding to the outgoing MCIP, where such information is alsosearchable as described below for Transfer Types 5 and/or 6.

In addition to setting preferences defining whether his outgoing MCIPsare to be compiled in the Directory, a user may, for the outgoing MCIPsfor which he has permitted compilation in the Directory (i.e., thelisted CIPs), set additional privacy preferences defining, for example,how or by whom such CIPs may be retrieved from the Directory. That is,for example, for a particular listed CIP containing a user's homeaddress, home phone number, and personal e-mail address, the user mayset preferences indicating that the CIP can be retrieved from theDirectory only by other individual users—not business users—so as toavoid receiving spam, junk mail, and telemarketing calls (and where, forexample, as explained above, searching users' Codes 3011 may includewithin them a sub-code indicating the type of user, individual orbusiness). Similarly, the user may set preferences indicating, forexample, that the CIP (or the contact information data in such CIP) canbe retrieved only by telephone call through Gateway 104 (as in, forexample, Transfer Type 6, though not through Transfer Type 5, bothdescribed below). For another example, a user may specify that, thoughlisted, a particular CIP itself is not to be included in any searchresults in Transfer Types 5 and/or 6; rather, only its relatedinformation is to be included in such search results, sufficient for asearcher to determine whether the CIP is indeed of interest. That is,for example, the related information in a search result may, withrespect to the listed CIP, identify the corresponding user by name,maiden name, age, and city and state of residence, but not disclosefurther contact information data. If based on such information asearcher concludes that the corresponding user is indeed the individualhe is searching for, then, at the searcher's request, the Service maydeliver to the corresponding user a message, identifying the searcher(including, for example, by including one of the searcher's CIPs) and,for example, requesting permission to deliver the listed CIP to him. Foranother example, assume in the above case of the classified CIP for thesale of a used bicycle that the CIP contains as contact information dataonly the user's name and home phone number. Not wanting to be botheredwith calls from places to which he′d have to ship the bike, the user mayspecify that this CIP can be retrieved from the Directory only by otherusers living or working within a 10-mile radius from his home. Also notwanting to disclose his home address until first talking with aprospective buyer on the phone, he may import into the relatedinformation for this CIP the location code for his home address from hispersonal CIP—though not the address itself. Finally, he may include inthe CIP an expiration date—whether he sells the bike or not, he will bemore comfortable knowing that his contact information will be erasedfrom the address books of those who may download his CIP from theDirectory.

At this point, the Service may inform the user that he now has theopportunity to download (or send for downloading) his outgoing MCIP(s)to one or more of his Devices 106 (though he also may do so at any timethereafter by, for example, returning to the “My MCIPs” Block 201 ofDisplay Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2). The user may choose, for eachoutgoing MCIP, the device or devices (if any) to which he wants todownload the MCIP. The user follows the Service's prompts to arrange fordownloading (or sending for downloading) or otherwise installing hisoutgoing MCIPs on each such device, all in a manner analogous to thatdescribed above for the downloading or other installation of theSoftware Module on Devices 106. In addition, the user may send hisoutgoing CIPs from one of his Devices 106 on which the CIPs are alreadyinstalled for downloading to another of his Devices 106 by, for example,employing close-proximity data transmission technologies (wired and/orwireless) or private computing and/or communications networks.Preferably, to a user's outgoing MCIPs reside on his Devices 106 suchthat they are readily accessible to the user at each device (e.g., theappearance of the MCIP resides on the user's desktop computer screenand/or on the main display screen of his mobile phone).

At this or another time, the user may install his outgoing MCIP(s) inmachine-readable and/or human-readable form on one or more Conveyors107. Considering, for example, Card 50 shown in FIG. 5, the Service maylist one or more printing services (e.g., Kinko's) among Distributors608 for printing such card with a CIP in bar code form. At this oranother time (by, for example, returning to the “My MCIPs” Block 201 ofDisplay Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2), the user may set a preference for anoutgoing MCIP calling for the Service to distribute it—and/orinformation necessary to print the CIP in bar code form derived fromit—to a listed printing service. If the user's complete design choicesfor the printed card are not apparent from the MCIP itself (e.g., Card50 is to have the same appearance as the appearance of MCIP 41 shown inFIG. 4), then the user may communicate those choices to the printingservice (either directly or through the Service). If the informationnecessary to print the CIP in bar code form is not itself distributed tothe printing service, then the printing service's Device(s) 106 mayrequire application software for generating such information from theMCIP, where such application software may be included in a SoftwareModule. In certain embodiments, the information necessary to print a CIPin bar code form may itself be contained in the MCIP from which the CIPin bar code form is derived (e.g., in Block 305 of MCIP 30). In a manneranalogous to that described above, Card 50 may also be printed by theuser himself, by a printing service not listed as a Distributor 608, orby the Service. Also in a manner analogous to that described above,outgoing MCIP(s) in machine-readable and/or human-readable form may beinstalled on other Conveyors 107.

If the Service Provider wishes to restrict the installation of outgoingMCIPs in such form on one or more types of Conveyors 107 only to, forexample, authorized installers, then System 10 (and/or System 60) mayinclude means for avoiding or minimizing unauthorized such installation.For example, considering Card 50 shown in FIG. 5, the Service Providermay require that an authorized printing service of such cards inform theService of each MCIP which it prints in such form on such cards, where alist of “card-authorized” MCIPs may be maintained in Database 101. Whena CIP of one user present on such a card is downloaded to a Device 106of another user, the device may include in the corresponding Return CIP(discussed below) a code indicating that the source of the CIP was sucha card; and, when that Return CIP is later uploaded to the Service (alsodiscussed below), Database to 101 may use the Codes 7011, 7012, and 7013in the Return CIP to determine, with reference to the list ofcard-authorized MCIPs, whether such card was printed by an authorizedprinting service.

Automatic Transfer Processes

In System 10, as shown in FIG. 1, CIPs may be transferred from one user(e.g., User A) to another user (e.g., User B) by a variety of methods,including, without limitation, those discussed below. Such methods aredivided into two categories—“send” functions and “fetch” functions.

Referring to FIG. 1, User A may send a CIP (outgoing and/or incoming)directly to User B by, among other methods, (1) including the CIP in aninteraction and/or communication with User B via the Internet 103(“Transfer Type 1,” discussed below); (2) including the CIP in acommunication with User B via Networks 105 (“Transfer Type 2,” discussedbelow); (3) sending the CIP to User B using close-proximity datatransmission technologies (“Transfer Type 3,” discussed below); and/or(4) conveying the CIP in machine-readable and/or human-readable form toUser B (“Transfer Type 4,” discussed below). User A may also use theService to send on his behalf a CIP (outgoing and/or incoming) to User B(where examples of this type of transfer are discussed below inconnection with other processes).

Referring still to FIG. 1, User B may fetch User A's outgoing CIP by,among other methods, (1) interacting with the Service through Interface102 via the Internet 103 and thereby retrieving the CIP from theService's Directory, if compiled therein (“Transfer Type 5,” discussedbelow); and/or (2) communicating with the Service through Gateway 104via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105 and thereby retrieving the CIPfrom the Service's Directory, if compiled therein (“Transfer Type 6,”discussed below). Similarly, and referring also to FIG. 6, User B mayalso fetch User A's outgoing CIP from a Distributor 608 and/or 609, ifdistributed thereby. For example, assuming User A (an individual user)is an employee at a law firm and he posts his outgoing professional CIPat his firm's web site (in this example, a Distributor 609), then User Bmay fetch the CIP by interacting with User A's firm's web site via theInternet 103 and either searching for the CIP in a manner analogous tothat described below for Transfer Type 5, browsing for the CIP, orotherwise retrieving the CIP. User B may in certain cases also fetchUser A's outgoing CIP directly from User A. For example, assuming User Ais itself a law firm (a business user) and it posts its outgoing CIP onits company web site (where the web site is one of User A's Devices106), then User B may fetch the CIP by interacting with User A throughits web site via the Internet 103. For another example, assuming User Aposts its outgoing CIP in an automated telephone system (also one ofUser A's Device 106), then User B may fetch the CIP by initiating atelephone call to User A and, following the automated prompts,requesting that the system transmit the CIP over the telephoneconnection for downloading to User B's device in use via Networks 105.User B may also use the Service to fetch on his behalf an outgoing CIPof User A (where examples of this type of transfer are discussed belowin connection with other processes).

Referring still to FIG. 1, for Transfer Type 1, where User A may send aCIP directly to User B by including the CIP in an interaction and/orcommunication with User B via the Internet 103, where particularcommunications services enable the delivery of CIPs to a particularDevice 106 in Categories 1061 and/or 1062 via the Internet 103, suchcommunication may be, for example, through e-mail. Using any Device 106in Categories 1061 or 1062, User A may access the Internet 103 and,using either a device-based e-mail client (such as Outlook) or anon-line e-mail client (such as at AOL), draft and address an e-mailmessage to User B. Assuming the CIP User A wishes to transfer to User Bresides on his device in use, User A may, for example, upload the CIP byattaching it the message and send the message via the Internet 103 toUser B. Also using any Device 106 in Categories 1061 or 1062, User B mayalso access the Internet 103 and, using either such e-mail client,retrieve the message and download the CIP to his device in use. Suchdevice-based and/or on-line e-mail clients may also enable User A toupload the CIP by copying it from his device in use into the body of thee-mail message by, for example, dragging-and-dropping it therein, suchthat, for example, one can view the appearance of the CIP, asillustrated in FIG. 4; similarly, such e-mail clients may also enableUser B to download the CIP in the body of the message to his device inuse by, for example, clicking on it. As discussed above, users' outgoingand/or incoming CIPs may reside at one or more Distributors 608 and/or609, including such distributors providing on-line address books(including e-mail clients), like an internet ISP/portal (e.g., AOL).Such on-line address books may enable User A to upload a CIP byattaching it to, or copying it into the body of, an outgoing e-mailmessage by selecting the CIP residing at such distributor, in a manneranalogous to that described above (independent of whether or not the CIPalso resides on User A's device in use). Similarly, such on-line addressbooks may enable User B to download a CIP attached to, or in the bodyof, an incoming e-mail message to such distributor (such that itresides, for example, in User B's on-line address book), in a manneranalogous to that described above (independent of whether or not the CIPis also downloaded to User B's device in use). User A may send a CIPdirectly to User B by including the CIP in other types of communicationswith User B via the Internet 103, in a manner analogous to thatdescribed herein for e-mail communications. User A may also send a CIPdirectly to User B by including it in an interaction with User B via theInternet 103. For example, using any Device 106 in Category 1061, User Amay access the Internet 103 and visit User B's web site (one of User B'sDevices 106) and, where provision is made on such web site for theuploading of CIPs, select the CIP residing on his device in use andupload it to the web site (where, from User B's perspective, it isdownloaded to his device in use).

Referring still to FIG. 1, for Transfer Type 2, where User A may send aCIP directly to User B by including the CIP in a communication with UserB via Networks 105, where particular communications services enable thedelivery of CIPs to a particular Device 106 in Category 1063 viaNetworks 105, such communication may be, for example, through telephoneservice. Using any Device 106 in Category 1063, User A and User B mayestablish between them a telephone connection by, for example, User B'sanswering a call initiated by User A. During such connection, User A mayupload the CIP from his device in use for transmission over suchconnection for downloading to User B's device in use, by, for example,activating a push-button command instructing his mobile phone to presenta copy of his outgoing CIP for such transmission. Even if User B doesnot answer the call initiated by User A, a telephone connection may beestablished between them upon User A's connection to User B'sdata-enabled voicemail service or answering machine (either integratedwithin or connected to User B's Device 106); and during such connection,User A may similarly upload the CIP for transmission over suchconnection to such service/machine for downloading to User B's device inuse, either during the call, after the call, or upon retrieval of hisdata-enabled voicemail messages. User A may send a CIP to User B byincluding the CIP in other types of communications with User B viaNetworks 105, in a manner analogous to that described herein fortelephone communications.

Referring still to FIG. 1, for Transfer Type 3, where User A may send aCIP directly to User B by sending the CIP to User B usingclose-proximity data transmission technologies, such data transmissiontechnology may be, for example, Bluetooth. Using any Device 106 equippedwith a Bluetooth transmitter, and being in close proximity to User Busing any Device 106 equipped with a Bluetooth receiver, User A mayupload the CIP from his device in use for transmission using suchtechnology for downloading to User B's device in use, by, for example,activating a push-button command instructing his mobile phone to topresent a copy of his outgoing CIP for such transmission. User A maysend a CIP directly to User B by sending the CIP to User B using otherclose-proximity data transmission technologies, in a manner analogous tothat described herein for Bluetooth.

Referring still to FIG. 1, for Transfer Type 4, where User A may send aCIP directly to User B by conveying the CIP in machine-readable and/orhuman-readable form to User B, User A may convey the CIP using, forexample, Card 50 shown in FIG. 5. User A may present Card 50 to User B,who then presents it to a bar code scanner for scanning and downloadingof the CIP to any Device 106 equipped with such Reader. User A may alsosend a CIP directly to User B by using other Conveyors 107 and/orconveying the CIP in other machine-readable and/or human-readable form,all in a manner analogous to that described herein for Card 50.

Even where, for example, a CIP is not on a card, the visible contactinformation or other information on such card may be used to retrieve acorresponding CIP from the Service. That is, for example, a Device 106equipped with optical character recognition or similar capabilities(though normally unreliable for “reading” contact information from acard) may scan such contact information and create from all or a portionof it a type of search request file for temporary storage on the device.Such search request file may later be uploaded to the Service (like, forexample, a Return CIP, discussed below). Database 101 may use suchsearch request file to search among the outgoing MCIPs stored in users'Storage Spaces 1011 and, where a match is found (and subject to users'preferences), present the matching CIP for downloading back to thedevice. Though certain information in the search request file may notaccurately reflect that present on the card, other information, like ane-mail address (on which an optical character reader can be trained tofocus, orienting itself around the distinctive “A” symbol, for example),may be accurately reflected in the search request and be sufficient toidentify one and only one match. Preferably, where information presenton a user's card (whether, for example, a CIP in machine-readable formor other information) corresponds to an outgoing MCIP stored in hisStorage Space 1011, the Service is informed of that fact (like asdescribed above). Accordingly, Database 101 may (subject to the user'spreferences) compile such CIP in a “card directory” within which it maysearch when in receipt of such a search request file, thereby improvingthe efficiency, accuracy, and privacy of any such search. Finally, auser may use information present on a card to manually submit a searchrequest file, which may then be processes by Database 101 like asdescribed above.

Referring still to FIG. 1, for Transfer Type 5, where User B may fetchUser A's outgoing CIP by interacting with the Service through Interface102 via the Internet 103 and thereby retrieving the CIP from theService's Directory, it is assumed User A has set preferences permittingthe Service to compile the CIP in the Directory. Using any Device 106 inCategory 1061, User B may engage the Service via the Internet 103through Interface 102, which presents User B with, for example, DisplayScreen 20 shown in FIG. 2. Block 204 of Display Screen 20 enables User Bto search the Directory for User A's outgoing CIP. Using Block 204, UserB may enter his search request, entering information he knows about UserA in one or more of the search fields shown in FIG. 2 and/or othersearch fields corresponding to the fields of information in Blocks 302and/or 303 shown for MCIP 30 in FIG. 3. An example of a search fieldcorresponding to a field of information in Block 303 is a businesscategory (subcategory) search field, in which a user may enter, forexample, “Restaurant (Pizza).” Using this search field and a zip codesearch field, a user may search for, for example, the outgoing MCIPs ofall pizza parlors located in a certain zip code. Another example of asearch field corresponding to a field of information in Block 303 is alocation code search field. Using this search field and, for example, abusiness category (subcategory) search field, a user may search for, forexample, the MCIPs of all pizza parlors within a specified distance fromthe user's current location or the MCIP of the pizza parlor closest tothe user's current location, where the Service may generate matches by,among other things, comparing the location codes in Blocks 303 of theMCIPs in the Directory with a code defining the user's current location.The code defining the user's current location may be included in thelocation code search field by, for example, the user's selecting one ofhis outgoing MCIPs and the Service's extracting from Block 303 of suchMCIP the location code, the user's entering the address of his currentlocation, from which address the Service can generate a code definingthe user's current location, or the uploading of a code (or otherinformation) defining the user's current location via a GPS or similarsystem and, if necessary, the Service's generating a code defining theuser's current location from such uploaded code (or other information).

Preferably, the Service prompts the user to enter information in hissearch request separately for each search field (or portion of field)and/or search instruction (which, for example, specifies the distance inthe example above), employing, where possible for each search field (orportion of field) and/or search instruction, a pull-down bar listingpossible responses to the prompt. For example, if the user wishes toenter information in the business category (subcategory) search fieldfor a particular search request, the Service may provide a pull-down barfor such search field where the possible entries are the same as thepossible entries in the business category (subcategory) field for thecreation of outgoing MCIPs. The Service may also enable the entry ofinformation in one or more search fields by a user's selecting a CIP(e.g., an incoming CIP in his Master Contact List), the Serviceimporting information from such CIP into one or more search fields, and,if necessary, the user's editing the information in the search fields.The Service may also generate and/or import, and include in a searchrequest, for some or all of the search fields containing data, and foreach such field, a data-corresponding code. In embodiments where Codes3011 and/or 3012 may be made known to a user, the Service may providesearch fields for the entry of such codes in a search request.

In order to submit his search request and commence the search, User Bclicks on, for example, the “Go” command shown in FIG. 2. On thatcommand, Interface 102 delivers the search request to Database 101,which searches all outgoing MCIPs in Storage Spaces 1011 for searchfield matches (including matches of data-corresponding codes, if any)and generates search results for presentation to User B throughInterface 102, subject to the privacy preferences (described above), ifany, of the listed CIPs with respect to which there is otherwise amatch.

The Service may also enable the searching of the Directory in a mannerthat does not require the user's entry of information in particularsearch fields, but instead accepts a CIP itself as a search request(where the search request may also include search instructions). Thatis, for example, the Service may enable User B to select an incomingpersonal CIP, from, for example, his Master Contact List, and submit itas a search request, where the Service may return as search results allother CIPs (e.g., a professional CIP and an updated personal CIP), ifany, of the user to whom the personal CIP corresponds and for whichpreferences have been set permitting the compilation of such CIPs in theService's Directory, where the Service may extract Code 3011 from thepersonal CIP and use it to locate such user's Storage Space 1011 inDatabase 101. The Service may also enable the searching of the Directoryusing Keyword and/or other common search techniques, apart from and/orin combination with the search techniques described above.

In order to deliver the most relevant and best categorized searchresults, Database 101 may be programmed to employ personalizationtechniques, making use of information available to it about a searchinguser (e.g., User B)—information gathered from User B's everyday use ofthe Service, rather than solicited from him in connection with aparticular search. That is, for example, Database 101 may refer toinformation contained in (or corresponding to) a searching user'soutgoing and/or incoming CIPs, stored in his Storage Spaces 1011 and/or1012. For example, Database 101 may determine from a user's outgoingspecial-purpose CIP that, at the time he submits a search request, he ison a business trip in Las Vegas staying at a particular hotel for whichthe location code is known, all relevant to delivering localized searchresults. Moreover, as explained in more detail elsewhere herein, a usermay, in or in connection with his outgoing and/or incoming CIPs, revealother information relevant to delivering personalized search results—forexample, one's age, gender, marital status, education level, profession,income level, hobbies, purchasing habits (e.g., from a user'sspecial-purpose CIPs, Database 101 can gather that he prefers to stay in4-star hotels), and more. Database 101 may, with respect to each user,regularly process and save certain information, which information may beused, but need not itself be processed, in connection with a particularsearch. That is, for example, Database 101 may in conducting a searchrefer to a user's “user profile” (described below in connection with“automatic delivery processes”), which may include information relevantto searching (whether or not it also corresponds to the segmentationparameters used in such delivery processes). For example, Database 101may compile in a user's user profile information concerning the user'ssearch history—that is, his search requests and/or the CIPs in thesearch results that were of interest to him. Finally, as Database 101may have available to it information concerning the searching user, sotoo it may have available to it information concerning the users whoseCIPs are compiled in the Directory; Database 101 may similarly use suchinformation concerning other users to deliver the most personalizedsearch results to the searching user.

The search results may include a listing of all matching MCIPs (withsome or all of the contact information data contained in each presentedfor browsing by User B, including on-line links to the web sites ofusers who have them) and a “download” command for each. The searchresults may also involve the presentation of the appearance of each MCIP(particularly where, for example, the appearance of business users'MCIPs may include advertisements). The search results may also involvethe presentation of related information in or corresponding to thematching MCIPs, like product prices for comparison-shopping. The searchresults may also involve, for example, the prioritization of the listingof all matching MCIPs (for example, the listing of pizza parlors intheir order of their distance from the user's current location) and theopportunity to view and/or download other information (e.g., directionsto each pizza parlor). The search results may also include, for eachmatching MCIP, a “store in my MCL” command (commanding the Service tostore the CIP in the user's Master Contact List, as described below inconnection with “Automatic Storage Processes”), a “distribute this CIP”command (commanding the Service to distribute the CIP to the user'sregistered Devices 106 and/or Distributors 608, as described below inconnection with “Automatic Portability Processes”), and/or one or moreother commands commanding the Service to perform one or more otherfunctions (such as, e.g., a speed dial function) with respect to theCIP.

Upon User B's clicking on the download command for User A's outgoingMCIP in the search results, Interface 102 instructs Database 101 toderive a CIP from such MCIP in Storage Space 1011 and deliver thederived CIP to Interface 102, which then delivers it via the Internet103 for downloading to User B's device in use. If, in response to UserB's commands, the Service also stores the derived CIP in his MasterContact List and distributes it to his other Devices 106 and/orDistributors 608, then, prior to delivering the derived CIP to Interface102, Database 101 may enable in it a “do not create a Return CIP” toggleinstruction (as explained below). Also upon User B's clicking on thedownload command, the Service may provide User B the opportunity to sendhis outgoing CIP to User A and facilitate that exchange if User B electssuch opportunity. For example, assume User A is a men's clothingretailer (a business user), then, based on the assumption that User B'ssearch for and downloading of User A's CIP is an indication of User B'sinterest in User A's product line, the Service may at that time queryUser B whether he would like to be on User A's mailing list; if User Bresponds positively, the Service sends User B's outgoing CIP of hischoosing to User A. Preferably, whether and/or how the Service performsthis function is directed by the users' (User A and/or User B)preferences; that is, for example, the Service may make the request onbehalf of User A only if User A has so directed the Service in hispreferences, the Service will present the request to User B only if UserB has so permitted in his preferences, and the Service sends CIPsretrieved in this manner to User A as directed by User A's preferences(e.g., they may be sent through Gateway 104 to one or more of User A'sDevices 106 and/or stored in User A's Master Contact List in a foldercalled “Mailing List”). As the Service may facilitate the exchange ofUser B's outgoing CIP to User A, so too may certain Distributors 608and/or 609. For example, if User B searches for and downloads User A'sCIP from the Zagat web site (in this example, a Distributor 608), thensuch distributor may also prompt User B with the opportunity to be onUser A's mailing list, where, if User B responds positively, he mayupload his outgoing CIP to the distributor, who delivers it (togetherwith, e.g., User A's outgoing CIP for the purposes of identifying UserA) to the Service via its connection with the Service, which in turnsends it to User A as directed by User A's preferences.

As described herein and illustrated in FIG. 2, the opportunity to searchthe Service's Directory for Transfer Type 5 is available to Members whoare engaging the Service; though, such opportunity may also be availableto Members and/or other users who are not engaging the Service, but aresimply “accessing” the Service (e.g., visiting the Service's web sitewithout logging in to the Service).

Referring again to FIG. 1, for Transfer Type 6, where User B may fetchUser A's outgoing CIP by communicating with the Service through Gateway104 via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105 and thereby retrieving theCIP from the Service's Directory, it is assumed User A has setpreferences permitting the Service to compile the CIP in the Directory.Where particular communications services enable the delivery of CIPs toa particular Device 106 via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105, suchcommunication may be, for example, through telephone service. Using anyDevice 106 in Category 1063 (e.g., a mobile phone), User B may initiatea call to the Service and establish a telephone connection with Gateway104. If the Service restricts the opportunity to fetch a CIP from theDirectory in this manner, for example, only to Members, then System 10may include means for the Service's determining, prior to going forward,that User B is a Member and/or his device in use is a registered Device106. Through such telephone connection, User B may communicate toGateway 104 a search request, Gateway 104 may then deliver the searchrequest to Database 101, Database 101 may then search the Directory andgenerate search results, Database 101 may then deliver the searchresults to Gateway 104 for presentation to User B, and Gateway 104 maythen deliver some or all of the search results for downloading by UserB, all in a manner analogous to that described above for Transfer Type5.

User B may communicate his search request to Gateway 104 in a number ofways, including verbally and/or using touch-tones (in response, e.g., toautomated voice prompts). He may also upload from his device in use aCIP, as his search request or for importation into his search request,for transmission of the CIP over such connection to Gateway 104. He mayalso upload from his device in use a “search request file” fortransmission of such file over such connection to Gateway 104. TheSoftware Module on his device in use may enable User B to create on suchdevice a search request file containing a search request substantiallythe same as a search request that one may create at the Service inTransfer Type 5. That is, for example, the search request in the searchrequest file may have search fields corresponding to the fields ofinformation in Blocks 302 and/or 305 of sample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3and the Software Module may prompt the user to enter information in hissearch request separately for each search field (or portion of field),employing, where possible for each search field (or portion of field), apull-down bar listing possible responses to the prompt. As mentionedabove, Gateway 104 may involve a live operator, who may be used to,among other things, communicate with User B to receive his searchrequest and/or to present to him the search results (and, if necessary,to narrow the search results), where, for example, some or all of thecontact information data contained in the MCIP(s) in the search resultsmay be communicated to User B. Preferably, Gateway 104 includesautomated means for performing some or all of these and other of itstasks in Transfer Type 6. For example, Gateway 104 may employ automatedvoice, as well as means for receiving verbal or touch-tone responses toany automated voice prompts, for communicating with User B, including,if User B wishes to download User A's MCIP in the search results, forreceiving User B's “download” command. In response to such command,Gateway 104 instructs Database 101 to derive a CIP from such MCIP inStorage Space 1011 and deliver the derived CIP to Gateway 104, whichthen uploads it for transmission over the telephone connection fordownloading to User B's device in use. User B may fetch User A'soutgoing CIP by communicating with the Service through Gateway 104 viathe Internet 103 and/or Networks 105 using other types of communicationsservices (including internet communications services), in a manneranalogous to that described above for telephone service.

In each of the automatic transfer processes discussed above—as well asin other cases, including other automatic transfer processes discussedbelow in connection with other processes and/or the “transfer” of a CIPfrom one of a user's Devices 106 to another of his own devices—a CIP ispresented for downloading to a user's (e.g., User B's) Device 106. Insome cases, the presentation of a CIP for downloading to a Device 106 isfollowed, without action on the part of User B, by the “saving” of suchCIP in the appropriate place(s) on such device, where downloading iscomplete. In other cases, following the presentation of a CIP fordownloading to a Device 106, User B takes action to complete (or notcomplete) the downloading of such CIP to such device. For example, if aCIP is presented as an attachment to an e-mail message and User B useshis desktop computer to retrieve the message, then, using an on-linee-mail client such as at AOL, User B must click on the “download”command and then the “save” command to save the CIP on his computer. Insome such cases, a “download routine” may be employed where, forexample, following the presentation of a CIP for downloading to hisdevice in use, User B may indicate whether it is an outgoing CIP or anincoming CIP (and therefore, e.g., whether it is to be saved as anoutgoing CIP or an incoming CIP), where it may be assumed the CIP is anincoming CIP unless otherwise indicated by the user. User B's device inuse may also otherwise determine whether the CIP is an outgoing CIP oran incoming CIP (and therefore, e.g., whether it is to be saved as anoutgoing CIP or an incoming CIP). That is, the CIP itself may includeinformation based on which the device determines it is an outgoing CIP;where such information is not present, the device assumes it is anincoming CIP. For example, in cases where the Service, as instructed byUser B, presents User B's outgoing CIP for downloading to one of UserB's own Devices 106 (e.g., while User B is engaging the Service via theInternet 103 through Interface 102), Database 101 may, prior topresenting for downloading the CIP derived from User B's outgoing MCIP,enable in it a “treat as an outgoing CIP” toggle instruction (based onwhich, e.g., the device saves the CIP as an outgoing CIP). Similarly,where User B “transfers” his outgoing CIP from one of his Devices 106 toanother of his own devices, he may (in certain embodiments), prior topresenting the outgoing CIP for downloading to such other device,himself enable in it a “treat as an outgoing CIP” toggle instruction.For another example, where User B's device in use has on it a SoftwareModule and the Module has registered within it User B's UserIdentification Code 3011, the device treats (and, e.g., saves) any CIPcontaining the same Code 3011 as an outgoing CIP.

Preferably, when a CIP is saved as an outgoing CIP on a user's Device106, the CIP is stored on the device such that it resides in a place (orplaces) that is readily accessible to the user at such device (e.g., theappearance of the CIP resides on the “desktop” screen of his personalcomputer and/or in an “outgoing CIPs” folder in his device-based e-mailclient, such that he may easily attach it to outgoing e-mail messages);the outgoing CIP overwrites (or causes the deletion of) anycorresponding outdated outgoing CIP previously saved thereon (where thecorrespondence between the outdated CIP and updated CIP is establishedby their matching Codes 3011 and 3012, and where the updated CIP'spreference over the outdated CIP is established by the stepped-up CIPVersion Code 3013 in the updated CIP); and a “Return CIP” (discussed indetail below) is not created for such outgoing CIP. Preferably, when aCIP is saved as an outgoing CIP on a user's Device 106 and another CIPpreviously saved thereon has the same Codes 3011, 3012, and 3013, but adifferent character code (if any) in, for example, Block 303, such CIPis saved on the device without overwriting such other CIP.

When a CIP is saved as an incoming CIP on a Device 106, a “Return CIP”(discussed in detail below) may be created and temporarily stored onsuch device, where the Return CIP may contain, among other information,certain Specific Preferences and/or “supplementary information” (e.g., avoice activation stamp) for such incoming CIP. Thus, a download routinemay provide User B the opportunity, in the process of saving a CIP as anincoming CIP on his device in use, to set such Specific Preferencesand/or supplementary information for such CIP. Certain of suchsupplementary information may be stored on the device (in addition towithin a Return CIP), for example, in the address book, as correspondingto the saved incoming CIP. Certain supplementary information (e.g., avoice activation stamp) may also be set for, and stored on a device ascorresponding to, a saved outgoing CIP. A download routine may alsoprovide User B the opportunity, following the presentation of anincoming CIP for downloading to one of his Devices 106, not only to“accept” the CIP (where it is saved on his device), but also toaffirmatively “reject” the CIP (where it is not saved on his device). AReturn CIP may be created and temporarily stored on his device in useeven if the incoming CIP is rejected (and not saved on the device).Accordingly, a download routine may provide the opportunity to setSpecific Preferences and/or supplementary information for such incomingCIP even if it is rejected (and not saved on the device). Similarly,User B may have the opportunity to set such Specific Preferences and/orsupplementary information for an incoming CIP that is not affirmativelyrejected by him, but is otherwise “rejected” (e.g., for lack of storagespace in the address book on a device, like a mobile phone, havinglimited such storage space). Where the CIP is not saved on the device,the supplementary information corresponding to it is not stored on thedevice (other than in a Return CIP). Moreover, where a CIP is rejectedat a device, such rejection may cause the deletion from the device ofany corresponding (including outdated) CIP previously saved thereon(where the correspondence between the rejected CIP and the correspondingCIP is established by their matching Codes 3011 and 3012).

Preferably, when a CIP is saved as an incoming CIP on a user's Device106, the CIP is stored in the address book and/or elsewhere on suchdevice; also, the incoming CIP overwrites (or causes the deletion of)any corresponding outdated incoming CIP previously saved thereon (wherethe correspondence between the outdated CIP and updated CIP isestablished by their matching Codes 3011 and 3012, and where the updatedCIP's preference over the outdated CIP is established by the stepped-upCIP Version Code 3013 in the updated CIP). Preferably, when a CIP issaved as an incoming CIP on a user's Device 106 and another CIPpreviously saved thereon has the same Codes 3011, 3012, and 3013, but adifferent character code (if any) in, for example, Block 303, such CIPis saved on the device without overwriting such other CIP. Where theincoming CIP itself is stored in the address book, it may be stored suchthat, for example, the contact information data (and data-correspondingcodes) contained in each field of Block 302 of the CIP occupies (i.e.,is copied into) and/or is displayed in a corresponding field in acorresponding address book entry (e.g., an entry for User A in thecontact list portion of User B's address book); the related information(and data-corresponding codes) contained in each field of Block 303 ofthe CIP occupies and/or is displayed in a corresponding field in acorresponding address book entry, or otherwise causes information tooccupy and/or be displayed in the address book (e.g., User A's incomingCIP causes the display of certain text on a certain date in the calendarportion of User B's address book); and/or the appearance of the CIP isdisplayed, for example, next to the corresponding address book entry.Where the CIP itself is stored not in the address book, but ratherelsewhere on the device (e.g., in a folder on User B's “desktop” screencalled “incoming CIPs”), it may nevertheless be stored such that, forexample, as described above, a correspondence is established between thestored CIP and an address book entry, and, for example, the contactinformation data contained in each field of Block 302 of the CIPoccupies and/or is displayed in a corresponding field in thecorresponding address book entry. Preferably, in such case, the addressbook displays, for each address book entry for which a corresponding CIPis stored elsewhere on the device, a marker informing the user of thatfact.

In either of the above cases, if, for example, the address book on adevice stores and displays only telephone numbers, then only the contactinformation data contained in the telephone numbers fields in Block 302of the CIP occupies and/or is displayed in corresponding fields in thecorresponding address book entry. If, for example, Block 303 of the CIPcontains different effective dates for different segments of contactinformation data contained in different ranges of fields in Block 302 ofthe CIP (e.g., effective dates of “March 3 through March 8” for thecontact information data in “field 1 through field 4” and “March 9through March 18” for the contact information data in “field 8 throughfield 12”), then each such segment of contact information data occupiesand/or is displayed in corresponding fields in the corresponding addressbook entry during its effective dates. Where a user has stored on adevice multiple incoming CIPs (e.g., a personal CIP and a professionalCIP) corresponding to a single other user, he may, for example, have thecontact information data contained in each CIP displayed separately inseparate address book entries or displayed as merged in a single addressbook entry (where the correspondence between the multiple CIPs isestablished by the common Code 3011); even where multiple CIPs aredisplayed as merged in a single address book entry, each such CIP isstored separately on the device. If, for example, a user wishes tomodify or delete some or all of the contact information data from theCIP as displayed in his address book, he may do so in the address book(e.g., he may delete an entry in his calendar), though, any suchmodification or deletion of such information in the address book doesnot modify or delete the CIP itself; if he wishes to restore theinformation in the address book, he may, for example, right-click on theCIP and select a “restore” operation. If, for example, the CIP containsa single expiration date, then, when such date is reached, the CIP iserased from the device and the information contained in it occupyingand/or being displayed in the address book is also erased from theaddress book. (Similarly, on such expiration date, such CIP may also beerased from other components of System 10; for example, for the user towhom such CIP corresponds, such CIP may also be erased from his Devices106 and/or his Storage Space 1011 in Database 101). If a user deletes aCIP on his device (or deletes an address book entry corresponding to aCIP on his device), then the CIP is erased from the device and theinformation contained in it occupying and/or being displayed in theaddress book is also erased from the address book; supplementaryinformation stored on the device as corresponding to the deleted CIP mayalso be erased from the device.

Where, as preferred, outgoing and incoming CIPs are stored on a Device106, a user may operate upon any such CIP at any time, either directly(by, e.g., right-clicking on the appearance of the CIP and selecting thedesired operation) or indirectly (by, e.g., for an incoming CIP,selecting an address book entry and clicking on the desired command inthe address book, which in turn operates upon the corresponding storedCIP). By, for example, right-clicking on the appearance of a CIP, a usermay be presented with a selection of operations that may be commonlyperformed on such CIP; for example, “view” the contact information dataand/or certain other contents of the CIP, “print” the CIP (theappearance of the CIP, certain of the contents of the CIP, and/or theCIP in machine-readable form), “set/re-set supplementary information”for the CIP, “send (it) to,” for example, an “infrared recipient” or“mail recipient,” “restore” the address book with information from theCIP, “delete” the CIP, and/or other operations.

Even if, when a CIP is saved as an incoming CIP on a Device 106, theincoming CIP itself is not stored on the device in use, some or all ofthe information contained in it may occupy and/or be displayed in theaddress book on such device, as described above. In such case, where,for example, a particular address book entry does not have acorresponding CIP stored on the device, it is preferred that the addressbook entry accommodate, in addition to information from Blocks 302and/or 303 of the CIP, at least information from Block 301 of the CIP,where codes 3011, 3012, 3013, and/or 3014 of the CIP may also occupy (ifnot be displayed) in corresponding fields in the address book entry. Inthis manner, much of the functionality of saving an incoming CIP on aDevice 106 as described above, for the cases where the CIP itself isstored on the device, is preserved even where the CIP is not stored onthe device. For example, when saving an updated CIP to a device on whicha corresponding outdated CIP was previously saved, where informationfrom the outdated CIP occupies a particular address book entry, theaddress book overwrites the information in that address book entry withinformation from the updated CIP (where the correspondence between theoutdated CIP and updated CIP is established by the matching Codes 3011and 3012 in the updated CIP and the address book entry, and where theupdated CIP's preference over the outdated CIP is established by thestepped-up CIP Version Code 3013 in the updated CIP). Of course, when anincoming CIP is not itself stored on a Device 106, a user may notoperate on such CIP as described above (e.g., the CIP may not beuploaded from such device and sent to another user). When saving anincoming CIP to a Device 106, even if the CIP itself is not stored onthe device in use, a Return CIP may be created and temporarily stored onsuch device, as described above.

Where, as described above, CIPs are saved on a Device 106 and/or aDevice 106 is equipped with a Software Module, the functionality of theaddress book and/or other application software on such device may beenhanced in other ways as well. That is, for example, many commondevice-based address books may enable a user to search, browse, sort,categorize, and print the entries; they may enable the automaticaddressing of an outgoing e-mail message; they may enable speed dialingof a selected (including by voice activation) number for an outgoingtelephone call; they may enable Caller ID; they may enable thesynchronization of information with that in another device-based, oron-line, address book; and they may provide protections against thereceipt of spam e-mail, based in part on the incoming contactinformation saved on the device. These and other common functions may beenhanced—and still other functions may be enabled—by the fact that,among other things, CIPs contain contact information data and otherinformation that is complete, accurate, and in a uniform format. Forexample, a user may search the incoming CIPs saved on his mobile phonefor that of the florist nearest to his current location (where suchfunction employs the business category codes and location codes inBlocks 303 of the CIPs, and where a code for the user's current locationmay be defined in a manner analogous to that described above inconnection with Transfer Type 5). Similarly, the user's mobile phone mayalert him whenever he is within a designated distance (e.g., one mile)from any of the addresses contained in a selected group of incoming CIPssaved on his device (e.g., those of his personal friends). Moreover, theuser's mobile phone may inform him of the distance between his currentlocation and the address contained in any selected CIP or the distancebetween the addresses contained in any two selected CIPs. In the aboveexamples, the Software Module includes software for computing distancesbetween two locations defined by location codes. The Software Module mayalso include software for computing a code for the user's currentlocation from, for example, GPS information available on the device.Where the Software Module also includes mapping software, the device mayalso inform the user of the directions between two locations defined bylocation codes. Concerning other device-based application software, suchas, for example, Microsoft's Word, a user creating a mass mailing(conventional mail) can simply select the incoming CIPs of the mailrecipients for merging of the information from the appropriate fields inBlocks 302 (e.g., title, first name, middle initial, last name, streetnumber, street name, etc.) into the corresponding fields in the letterdocument, as well as into the document for the envelopes/courier labels,and where, on each such envelope/courier label, a CIP (or certaininformation, e.g., a zip code, contained in a CIP) may also be printedin machine-readable form (e.g., bar code form) for use by thepostal/courier service.

In certain embodiments and/or in certain cases, as described elsewhereherein, an incoming CIP saved to a Device 106 may not contain, forexample, contact information data. Nevertheless, when saving suchincoming CIP to such device, a Return CIP may be created and temporarilystored on such device and, as described below in connection with“Automatic Portability Processes,” the Service may distribute acorresponding incoming CIP (containing, among other things, the contactinformation data) for downloading and saving to that same device, asdescribed above.

Automatic Update Processes

In System 10 (and/or System 60), as shown in FIGS. 1-1B, in the event auser's outgoing contact information changes (and/or a user wishes tomodify one or more of his outgoing MCIPs), such user may update one ormore other users by a variety of methods, including, without limitation,those discussed below.

System 10 may enable, and such user may employ, the “preferred”automatic update process involving the multiple steps shown in FIG. 7.Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 7, in Step 1, a user (e.g., “User A”)uses any Device 106 in Category 1061 to engage the Service throughInterface 102 via the Internet 103, where he is presented with, forexample, Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2. As described above, in thepreferred embodiment of System 10, a user may create or modify anoutgoing MCIP only while engaging the Service.

In Step 2, in order to modify his outgoing MCIP, User A clicks on “MyMCIPs” Block 201 of Display Screen 20, where he is presented withanother screen (or series of screens) enabling him to, among otherthings, view, modify, and transfer his outgoing MCIP(s), previouslycreated at the Service and stored in his Storage Space 1011 in Database101, shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. User A selects the MCIP he wishes tomodify and the Service presents him the opportunity to modify (i.e., addto, subtract from, and/or change) the information in Blocks 302, 303,and/or 304 of sample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3. The Service prompts User Athrough the process of modifying the MCIP in much the same way as itprompts him through the process of creating an MCIP, employing, wherepossible, pull-down bars, and presenting him with templates and/or toolsfor redesigning the appearance of the MCIP, if he wishes. Aftercompleting his modifications, User A instructs the Service to save the“updated” MCIP. In the updated MCIP, Codes 3011, 3012, and 3014 remainthe same as in the “outdated” MCIP (i.e., the MCIP User A modified).However, in the updated MCIP, the Service steps up the CIP Version Code3013 by one; for example, from “01” (as shown in MCIP 30) to “02.” TheService stores the updated MCIP in User A's Storage Space 1011 inDatabase 101, in the same storage element in which it stored the nowoutdated MCIP, overwriting the outdated MCIP. User A may now, if hewishes, download (or otherwise install) the updated MCIP to one or moreof his Devices 106, where on each such device the updated CIP may alsooverwrite the outdated CIP (where the correspondence between theoutdated CIP and updated CIP is established by their matching Codes 3011and 3012, and where the updated CIP's preference over the outdated CIPis established by the stepped up CIP Version Code 3013 in the updatedCIP). User A may also now, if he wishes, set Specific Preferences forthe updated MCIP; where a Specific Preference previously set for theoutdated MCIP may remain as set for the updated MCIP unless re-set forthe updated MCIP.

In Step 3, the Service presents User A the opportunity to transfer theupdated MCIP, through the Service, to other users; where, in doing so atany time, User A selects the recipients (or would-be recipients). Again,the Service prompts User A through the process of selecting recipients,which may be done, for example, in one of two ways (or a combination ofboth). In a “first selection process,” the Service may present for UserA's viewing his Master Contact List, stored in his Storage Space 1012 inDatabase 101, shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A, from which he may select therecipients. User A may, for example, scroll through the entire MasterContact List, selecting or not each incoming CIP (or each user to whomone or more incoming CIPs corresponds). He may also, for example, browsethe Master Contact List by folder (or subfolder), selecting one folder(in effect, all incoming CIPs in the selected folder) and not another(e.g., if the updated MCIP is a personal MCIP, he may select his“Friends and Family” folder and not his “Clients” folder). Certain usersselected in the first selection process may not have User A's outdatedCIP (or any other of User A's CIPs) in their Master Contact Lists. In a“second selection process,” the Service may enable User A to select as agroup users who have User A's outdated CIP (or another of User A's CIPs)in their Master Contact Lists, either independent of or dependent uponwhether an incoming CIP of each of such other users is in User A'sMaster Contact List. (The Service does not, as a general rule, identifyto User A such other users, with certain exceptions, including wheresuch other users may set a General Preference authorizing the Service todo so.) For example, assume User A's updated CIP is a personal CIP, UserB is a personal friend of User A, and User B has User A's outdated CIPin his Master Contact List; but also assume User A does not have any ofUser B's CIPs in his Master Contact List. By User A's selecting allusers having his outdated CIP in their Master Contact Lists, User B isselected as a recipient (where, if User A were to select solely from hisown Master Contact List, then User B would not be selected as arecipient). The Service may (but need not) impose service restrictionson the second selection process; for example, enabling User A to selectas a group each user who has User A's outdated CIP in his Master ContactList and whose outgoing CIP (any one, even an outdated MCIP) is presentas an incoming CIP in User A's Master Contact List. User A may imposehis own restrictions in this second selection process—for example,selecting as a group each individual user (but not business user) whohas User A's outdated CIP in his Master Contact List, so as to avoidupdating spammers, junk mailers, and telemarketers who may have gottenhold of his CIP; and where, for example, as explained above, users'Codes 3011 may include within them a sub-code indicating the type ofuser (individual or business). After User A's selection is completed,the Service may (but need not) enable him to compose one or more notes,each to a group (one, some, or all) of the selected recipients. Thenotes may be in written, recorded voice, and/or other form. The noteswill reach the selected recipients only insofar as, among other things,the recipients, in their General Preferences, have chosen to receiveupdated CIPs from the Service through means of communication in which anote may be included. The Service may store User A's “selection” for hisfuture reference (where appropriate and if the user wishes, setting hispreferences to reflect the choices made in his selection). User A thencommands the Service to send the updated MCIP to the selectedrecipients.

In Step 4, referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, 3, and 7, Interface 102delivers User A's command (which, among other things, identifies theupdated MCIP) and his selection to Database 101, which then compiles a“final list” of recipients, where such list also contains, for eachlisted recipient, his preferences defining how he is to receive theupdated CIP. In order to do so, Database 101 may first extract the UserIdentification Code 3011 from each of the incoming CIPs in User A'sMaster Contact List (stored in his Storage Space 1012 shown in FIG. 1A)that User A selected in the first selection process (if any), creating a“first interim list” of recipients (where multiple entries of the sameCode 3011, if any, are merged into a single entry). Database 101 maythen search for User A's outdated CIP (or another of User A's CIPs) inother users' Master Contact Lists (stored in other users' Storage Spaces1012), in accordance with choices made in User A's second selectionprocess (if any), creating a “second interim list” of recipientscontaining the User Identification Code 3011 of each user in whoseMaster Contact List a match was found. For example, if User A hasselected “each user having my outdated CIP in his Master Contact List,”then Database 101 searches through all users' Master Contact Lists forthe outdated CIP (i.e., a CIP containing the same Codes 3011 and 3012 asthose contained in the updated CIP, and containing a CIP Version Code3014 lower than that contained in the updated CIP), thereby creating thesecond interim list. For another example, if User A has selected “eachuser having any one of my personal CIPs in his Master Contact List andwhose outgoing CIP (any one, even an outdated CIP) is present as anincoming CIP in my Master Contact List,” then Database 101 extracts theCode 3011 from each of the incoming CIPs in User A's Master Contact Listand searches through the Master Contact Lists of the users identified bysuch codes for any of User A's personal CIPs (i.e., any CIP containingthe same Code 3011 as that contained in the updated CIP and containing aCode 3014 of “01”), thereby creating the second interim list. Database101 may then create a “third interim list” of recipients containing eachCode 3011 in the first interim list plus each non-duplicate Code 3011 inthe second interim list.

For each of the users whose User Identification Code 3011 is in thethird interim list, Database 101 may then review his General Preferencesand/or Specific Preferences concerning whether he wishes to receive theupdated CIP. That is, the Service may enable each user to impose in hispreferences his own restrictions on this automatic update process as itconcerns him as a would-be recipient of updated MCIPs. For example, auser may direct the Service to transfer to him only updated CIPs forwhich he has the outdated CIPs in his Master Contact List; in whichcase, Database 101 can identify (or not) outdated CIPs in therecipient's Master Contact List in the same manner as described above.For another example, a user may indicate that he wishes to receiveupdated personal CIPs only from other users who have his currentpersonal CIP(s) in their Master Contact Lists; in which case, Database101 can make such determination by retrieving from the would-bereceiver's Storage Space 1011 the CIP(s) having a Code 3014 of “01” andsearching the would-be sender's Storage Space 1012 for a CIP having thesame Codes 3011, 3012, and 3013. For another example, a user may setpreferences indicating that he does not wish to receive updates fromcertain users, certain groups of users, and/or certain types of users(e.g., business users, which may be identified, e.g., by a Code 3011,extracted from the updated CIP, beginning with “1”); by doing so, a usermay, among other things, avoid being inconvenienced by users who mayabuse the system, such as a business user who attempts to sendsolicitations or advertisements disguised as updated CIPs. Moreover, auser may set preferences indicating that he does not wish to receivefrom any users, certain users, certain groups of users, and/or certaintypes of users “promotional updates,” where he may accept other updatesfrom such users. That is, a promotional update may be defined, forexample, as an update for which the contact information data in Block302 of the updated CIP is the same as that in the corresponding outdatedCIP, but where information in Block 303 and/or 304 has been modifiedwith respect to that in the outdated CIP. The Service may enablewould-be recipients of such updates to block their delivery to them, asdescribed above. However, the Service may otherwise permit the deliveryof promotional updates, as they may be of particular value to theirsenders and recipients. That is, for example, by modifying theappearance of a CIP, a business user may notify recipients of seasonaldiscounts or its latest product offerings. And, using, for example, thesecond selection process described above, he may target such updated CIPat would-be recipients he may not otherwise be able to reach, userslikely to have a high level of interest in receiving the updated CIP.That is, assuming such user's outdated CIP was previously compiled inthe Directory, he may reach those users who downloaded that CIPtherefrom (evidencing such other users' interest in the business user'sgoods or services), even though the business user likely does not havesuch other users' CIPs in his Master Contact List. Similarly, assumingthe business user previously sent the outdated CIP to targeted othersusing the preferred automatic delivery process discussed below, he maynow direct the updated CIP to those among the originally targeted groupof others who then downloaded the outdated CIP (reaching now a furthertargeted group of others), even though, again, the business user likelydoes not have such other users' CIPs in his Master Contact List. If, forexample, the Service is to charge fees for launching a promotionalupdate, where the fee may be based on the number of users to whom theupdate is delivered, then, the Service may enable the launching user torestrict the delivery of the promotional update—for example, assumingthe launching user is a restaurant advertising its special menu, prices,and entertainment for the upcoming July 4th holiday, it may restrictdelivery of the update only to those users selected in the secondselection process and whose home, summer home, or office is within a5-mile radius of the restaurant (as determined, e.g., using locationcodes). In this step, therefore, where an update is a promotionalupdate, Database 101 may remove from the second interim list the Codes3011 of the users whose outgoing CIPs indicate that they do not meet thelocation restriction included in the second selection process and mayremove from the third interim list the Codes 3011 of those whosepromotional update preferences indicate that they do not wish to receivethe subject update. A user may set certain of the above-described andother preferences as a Specific Preference for a particular incoming CIP(or for the user corresponding to a particular incoming CIP) in hisMaster Contact List; or, if he has set such preference as a GeneralPreference, he may set a Specific Preference for a particular incomingCIP (or for the user corresponding to a particular incoming CIP)overriding the General Preference. Therefore, for example, for eachwould-be receiver of an updated CIP, Database 101 may first search forthe corresponding outdated CIP in his Storage Space 1012 (in the mannerdescribed above), if found, retrieve the relevant Specific Preferences(if any) for the outdated CIP, and compare them against the relevantGeneral Preferences (if any) to determine the prevailing preferences—andonly then take further action (if any) in accordance with suchpreferences. From the third interim list, Database 101 may remove theCode 3011 for each user who it has determined does not wish to receiveUser A's updated CIP, and, for each remaining Code 3011, Database 101may retrieve and add to the list the corresponding user's prevailingpreferences concerning how he wishes to receive the updated CIP(examples of which are described above), thereby compiling the finallist. The final list may also include User A's composed note, if any,for each user on the list. For each such user to whom User A has notcomposed a note, Database 101 may include in the final list aService-standard note, which may be selected from several such notesdepending on the user to whom it is directed. For example, for each suchuser not having User A's outdated CIP in his Master Contact List (ifany), the Service may include a note saying, for example, “attached tothis e-mail message is an updated CIP for which you do not have theoutdated CIP in your Master Contact List.”

Database 101 may at this point generate for User A a report concerningthis automatic update process, which may be delivered, for example,through Interface 102 to User A while he is still engaging the Service.The report may state, for example, that in the overall selectionprocess, User A selected 600 recipients, 350 in the first selectionprocess and 250 in the second selection process; that his updated CIPwill be delivered to 525 of the selected recipients; that his updatedCIP is not deliverable through the Service to 75 of the selectedrecipients, due to preferences set by such users; and that, of theselected recipients to whom his updated CIP is not deliverable, 25 wereselected in the first selection process and 50 were selected in thesecond selection process. Such report may or may not identify (by namealone or otherwise) the non-deliverable users selected in the firstselection process and/or in the second selection process, where theService may enable each user to set preferences concerning thedisclosure of his identity in such a report.

Database 101 may also maintain for each user a “running report”concerning, among other things, preferred automatic update processes forwhich such user was selected (in Step 3) as a recipient of other users'updated CIPs. For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, if User B wasselected by User A (in Step 3) as a recipient of his updated CIP, andDatabase 101 (in Step 4) did not include User B on the final list ofrecipients due to User B's preferences, then Database 101 may generate amessage for User B's running report informing User B of the above facts(preferably, identifying User A by name) and giving him anotheropportunity to receive the updated CIP. The running report may also keepa tally of the number and percentage of times User B's preferences haveso blocked attempts of other users to send him updated CIPs through thispreferred process. For another example, assuming User A is employing thepreferred process to send through the Service his updated personal CIP,if User B was both selected by User A (in Step 3) and included on thefinal list by Database 101 (in Step 4), and Database 101 also determined(in Step 4) that User A does not have in his Master Contact List UserB's current personal CIP, then Database 101 may generate a messageinforming User B of that fact and giving him the opportunity to sendUser A his current personal CIP. When, for example, User B is nextengaging the Service through Interface 102 via the Internet 103,Interface 102 may (either on a periodic basis or upon User B's command)deliver to Database 101 a request to retrieve the running report forUser B's viewing of it through Interface 102. Each message in therunning report may include automatic action items. In the first exampleabove, the message to User B may include a “download User A's updatedCIP now” action item; in response to User B's clicking on such actionitem, Database 101 may deliver the updated CIP through Interface 102 fordownloading to User B's device in use via the Internet 103. In thesecond example above, the message to User B may include a “send mycurrent personal CIP to User A now” action item; in response to User B'sclicking on such action item, Database 101 may retrieve User B'spersonal CIP from his Storage Space 1011, retrieve User A's preferencesconcerning whether and/or how he wishes to receive the “updated” CIP,and deliver (or not) the updated CIP to User A in accordance with UserA's preferences.

In Step 5, referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 7, Database 101 deliversthe final list to Gateway 104, together with User A's updated CIP,derived from the updated MCIP in User A's Storage Space 1011 in Database101.

In Step 6, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 7, Gateway 104, as directed bythe information in the final list, generates and sends a separatecommunication(s) to each recipient via the Internet 103 and/or Networks105, including in each such communication User A's updated CIP andthereby presenting the CIP for downloading to one or more of suchrecipient's Devices 106. Where particular communications services enablethe delivery of CIPs to a particular Device 106 via the Internet 103and/or Networks 105, such communication may be, for example, throughe-mail. Assuming the first recipient in the final list has setpreferences indicating that he wishes to receive updated CIPs asattachments to e-mail messages sent to a certain e-mail address andhaving a certain subject line, Gateway 104 generates and addresses suchan e-mail message, includes in it either User A's composed note or aService-standard note, attaches to it User A's updated CIP, and sends itto such recipient via the Internet 103. Gateway 104 may send updatedCIPs to recipients via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105 throughother internet or other communications services, in a manner analogousto that described herein for e-mail service.

Finally, in Step 7, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 7, for eachrecipient, User A's updated CIP may be downloaded to one or more of suchrecipient's Devices 106, as described above. For example, for the firstrecipient in the final list, he may use any Device 106 in Category 1061or 1062 to access the Internet 103, retrieve the e-mail message, anddownload and save User A's uploaded CIP (the attachment) to his devicein use. On those Devices 106 on which the outdated CIP was previouslysaved, the updated CIP overwrites the outdated CIP (where thecorrespondence between the outdated CIP and updated CIP is establishedby their matching Codes 3011 and 3012, and where the updated CIP'spreference over the outdated CIP is established by the stepped up CIPVersion Code 3013 in the updated CIP).

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also enable, and users may also employ,other automatic update processes (some of which are discussed below),either as alternatives or supplements to the preferred process. Forexample, User A may engage the Service by means other than thatdescribed in connection with Step 1 of the preferred process; forexample, as described above, he may engage the Service using a Device106 in Category 1063 through Gateway 104 via Networks 105, and, bycommunicating with Gateway 104 (which in turn communicates with Database101), he may modify an outgoing MCIP, select recipients, and/orotherwise command the Service to perform an update process analogous tothe preferred process. For another example, in Step 2 of the preferredprocess, following the Service's saving of the updated MCIP (and,preferably, following User A's opportunity to set Specific Preferencesfor the updated MCIP), the Service may distribute the updated CIP to oneor more Distributors 608, in accordance with User A's preferences and asnecessary (e.g., if User A modified his address in his updated MCIP,then, if permitted by User A's preferences, the Service may distributethe updated CIP to the applicable local office of the United StatePostal Service to notify that office of User A's change of address),where at each such distributor the updated CIP may also overwrite theoutdated CIP, as described above. For another example, in otherembodiments of System 10, where a user may create and/or modify anoutgoing CIP directly on a non-engaged Device 106, User A may, forexample, modify an outgoing CIP directly on a Device 106 in Category1061, use such device to engage the Service through Interface 102 viathe Internet 103, click on “My MCIPs” Block 201 of Display Screen 20,shown in FIG. 2, to upload the updated CIP to the Service (where it isstored in his Storage Space 1011 in Database 101, as shown in FIGS. 1and 1A, overwriting the outdated MCIP), and then commence an automaticupdate process through the Service, employing Steps 3-7 of the preferredprocess shown in FIG. 7. For another example, having the updated CIP ona Device 106 (whether modified on such device or modified elsewhere,including at the Service, and downloaded to such device), User A maysend such CIP to other users using one or more of automatic TransferTypes 1, 2, and 3; where, for the recipients of the updated CIP havingthe corresponding outdated CIP on their devices in use, the updated CIPmay overwrite the outdated CIP, as described above. For another example,concerning again automatic update processes through the Service andreferring to Step 3 shown in FIG. 7, if User A, by his own choosing,does not have stored his incoming CIPs in his Storage Space 1012 (i.e.,he does not maintain at the Service a Master Contact List), then, inselecting recipients of his updated CIP, he may make such selection byeither employing the second selection process alone or by uploading fromhis device in use to the Service the CIPs of the users he wishes toreceive his updated CIP (where the Service may make temporary use of theuploaded CIPs to perform the automatic update process, but notpermanently store such CIPs in User A's Storage Space 1012). For anotherexample, the Service may enable a user (e.g., User B) to set a GeneralPreference indicating that he wishes, where possible, to receive updatedCIPs in a particular alphabet (e.g., the Roman alphabet). Assuming,then, that User A, in Step 2 of the preferred process, updated anoutgoing MCIP in the Arabic alphabet (having, e.g., a character code of“010”) and also translated and stored at the Service the updated CIP inthe Roman alphabet (having, e.g., a character code of “001”), then, inStep 5, Database 101 may deliver the updated CIP in the Arabic alphabetto Gateway 104 with a list of certain of the recipients and also deliverthe updated CIP in the Roman alphabet to Gateway 104 with a list ofcertain other recipients (including, e.g., User B). For another exampleand referring to FIG. 1, the Service may enable a user to set a GeneralPreference indicating that he wishes to receive updated CIPs from theService through Interface 102 (i.e., while he is engaging the Servicevia the Internet 103), either instead of or in addition to receivingthem through Gateway 104. In such case, referring to the steps of thepreferred process, in Step 4, Database 101 may, for each recipient whohas set such preference indicating that he wishes to receive the updatedCIP through Interface 102 instead of through Gateway 104, not includethe User Identification Code 3011 of such user on the final list; alsoin Step 4, Database 101 may, for each recipient who has set suchpreference indicating that he wishes to receive the updated CIP throughInterface 102 (either instead of or in addition to through Gateway 104),store the updated CIP in another storage space dedicated to such userfor the temporary storage of updated CIPs received in this process. Whensuch user is next engaging the Service through Interface 102 via theInternet 103, Interface 102 may (either on a periodic basis or upon suchuser's command) deliver to Database 101 a request to search such storagespace and return all updated CIPs contained in it to Interface 102 fordownloading by the user via the Internet 103. For another example,Database 101 may, with respect to, for example, the incoming CIPs in aparticular user's (e.g., User B's) Master Contact List (stored in hisStorage Space 1012, shown in FIG. 1A), search the Storage Spaces 1011 ofother users for updated CIPs (if any) corresponding to such incomingCIPs and, if such updated CIPs are found, fetch them for User B.Database 101 may perform this automatic update process either on aperiodic basis or upon User B's command, with respect to all suchincoming CIPs or only certain such CIPs. That is, referring to FIGS. 1and 1A, and assuming User A's outgoing personal CIP is stored as anincoming CIP in the first storage element in User B's Storage Space1012, Database 101 may extract from such CIP the Codes 3011, 3012, and3013; use Code 3011 to locate User A's Storage Space 1011; within suchstorage space, search among User A's outgoing CIPs for a correspondingupdated CIP (i.e., one having the same Code 3012 as the extracted Code3012, and having a Code 3013 higher than the extracted Code 3013), ifany; and, if a corresponding updated CIP is found, retrieve it from UserA's Storage Space 1011 for delivery to User B. Database 101 may deliversuch updated CIP to User B by storing it in the first storage element inUser B's Storage Space 1012 (overwriting the outdated CIP) and/or asotherwise described herein, where the manner of such delivery may be inaccordance with preferences set by User B. The Service may also enableUser A and/or User B to set preferences governing Database 101'sperformance of such process; for example, the Service may enable User Ato set a General Preference prohibiting Database 101 from searching hisStorage Space 1011 in connection with such process. In such case, theService may, on behalf of one user (e.g., User B), make a request ofanother user or users for an updated CIP. That is, for example, if UserB has a personal CIP of User A but discovers that the contactinformation data contained in it is no longer valid (and User A has setpreferences prohibiting the compilation of his CIPs in the Directory),User B may select the invalid CIP and command the Service to make arequest of User A for an updated CIP, if any; then, using the Code 3011in the selected invalid CIP, the Service may determine the means throughwhich it may communicate with User A and send him a communication, withUser B's outgoing CIP attached, informing User A that User B requests anupdated CIP.

In the preferred process, as described above and shown in FIG. 7, (1)User A's updated CIP is not stored in the recipients' Master ContactLists, and (2) User A's updated CIP, though included in one or morecommunications to each recipient from Gateway 104, is not necessarilydistributed by the Service to all of such recipient's Devices 106 or tosuch recipient's chosen Distributors 608 of his incoming CIPs (if any).That is because, in the preferred process, it is assumed that each userwould prefer to have the opportunity to, among other things, accept orreject an updated CIP prior to such storage and/or such distribution.Therefore, the storage (or not) of an updated CIP in a recipient'sMaster Contact List and the distribution (or not) of an updated CIP toall of a recipient's Devices 106 or Distributors 608 are treated hereinas processes separate from this automatic update process, discussedbelow in connection with “Automatic Storage Processes” and “AutomaticPortability Processes.” However, it should be understood that suchstorage and/or distribution of updated CIPs may be included in thispreferred process (and/or other automatic update processes); forexample, with respect to such storage of updated CIPs, in Step 4 shownin FIG. 7, Database 101 may also store the updated CIP in the MasterContact List of each user whose User Identification Code 3011 appears inthe final list (or each of such users who has requested such storage inhis preferences).

Automatic Customization Processes

In System 10 (and/or System 60), as shown in FIGS. 1-1B, a user maycustomize his outgoing contact information for special purposes andtransfer his customized contact information to one or more other usersby a variety of methods, including, without limitation, those discussedbelow.

System 10 may enable, and such user may employ, the “preferred”automatic customization process involving the multiple steps shown inFIG. 8. Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 8, in Step 1, a user (e.g.,“User A”) uses any Device 106 in Category 1061 to engage the Servicethrough Interface 102 via the Internet 103, where he is presented with,for example, Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2. As described above, inthe preferred embodiment of System 10, a user may create or modify anoutgoing MCIP only while engaging the Service.

In Step 2, in order to create a special-purpose outgoing MCIP, User Aclicks on “My MCIPs” Block 201 of Display Screen 20, where he ispresented with another screen (or series of screens) enabling him to,among other things, create and transfer outgoing MCIP(s). User Aindicates he wishes to create a special-purpose MCIP and the Serviceprompts him through the process of doing so, described above, where theService may also provide the user with a choice of templates to assisthim in creating a special-purpose MCIP for his particular specialpurposes (e.g., an upcoming business trip). After completing the MCIP,User A instructs the Service to save it. The Service assigns the MCIPUser A's User Identification Code 3011, the appropriate CIPIdentification Code 3012, a CIP Version Code 3013 of “01,” and a CIPType Code 3014 of “04,” and stores it in a new storage element in UserA's Storage Space 1011 in Database 101, shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. User Amay now, if he wishes, download (or otherwise install) thespecial-purpose MCIP to one or more of his Devices 106. User A may alsonow, if he wishes, set Specific Preferences for the special-purposeMCIP.

In Step 3, the Service presents User A the opportunity to transfer thespecial-purpose MCIP, through the Service, to other users; where, indoing so at any time, User A selects the recipients (or would-berecipients). Again, the Service prompts User A through the process ofselecting recipients, which, as in the preferred automatic updateprocess, may be done using a first selection process (the same as oranalogous to that described above) or a second selection process (thesame as or analogous to that described above), or a combination of both.The overall selection process available to User A in this process may bedifferent from that available in the preferred automatic update process;for example, the Service may impose service restrictions enabling User Ato select recipients using only a first selection process (i.e.,selecting recipients from his Master Contact List). Like in thepreferred automatic update process, after User A's selection iscompleted, the Service may (but need not) enable him to compose one ormore notes and/or the Service may store his selection for his futurereference. User A then commands the Service to send the special-purposeMCIP to the selected recipients.

In Step 4, referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, 3, and 8, Interface 102delivers User A's command (which, among other things, identifies thespecial-purpose MCIP) and his selection to Database 101, which thencompiles a “final list” of recipients, where such list also contains,for each listed recipient, his General Preferences and/or SpecificPreferences defining how he is to receive the special-purpose CIP.Database 101 may compile the final list in this process in a manner thesame as or analogous to the manner in which it compiles the final listin Step 4 of the preferred automatic update process. That is, Database101 may first create a first interim list in accordance with choicesmade in User A's first selection process (if any), next create a secondinterim list in accordance with the choices made in User A's secondselection process (if any), and, from such lists, next create a thirdinterim list. For each of the users whose User Identification Code 3011is in the third interim list, Database 101 may then review his GeneralPreferences concerning whether he wishes to receive the special-purposeCIP. That is, the Service may enable each user to impose in hispreferences his own restrictions on this automatic customization processas it concerns him as a would-be recipient of special-purpose CIPs; and,such preferences (if any) may be different from those (if any) set bysuch user for the preferred automatic update process. For example, auser may direct the Service not to transfer to him any special-purposeCIPs in this process; whereas, for the preferred automatic updateprocess, he may direct the Service to transfer to him updated CIPs. Fromthe third interim list, Database 101 may remove the Code 3011 for eachuser who it has determined does not wish to receive User A'sspecial-purpose CIP, and, for each remaining Code 3011, Database 101 mayretrieve and add to the list the corresponding user's preferencesconcerning how he wishes to receive the special-purpose CIP (examples ofwhich are described above), thereby compiling the final list. The finallist may also include User A's composed note or a Service-standard notefor each such user.

Database 101 may at this point generate for, and deliver to, User A areport concerning this automatic customization process, like asdescribed above for the preferred automatic update process. Database 101may also generate messages for the running reports of the recipientsand/or would-be recipients of User A's special-purpose CIP in thisprocess, again like as described above for the preferred automaticupdate process.

In Step 5, referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 8, Database 101 deliversthe final list to Gateway 104, together with User A's special-purposeCIP, derived from the special-purpose MCIP in User A's Storage Space1011 in Database 101.

In Step 6, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 8, Gateway 104, as directed bythe information in the final list, generates and sends a separatecommunication(s) to each recipient via the Internet 103 and/or Networks105, including in each such communication User A's special-purpose CIPand thereby presenting the CIP for downloading to one or more of suchrecipient's Devices 106, all in a manner analogous to that describedabove for Step 6 of the preferred automatic update process (noting againthat a user's preferences concerning how he wishes to receivespecial-purpose CIPs may differ from those concerning how he wishes toreceive updated CIPs).

Finally, in Step 7, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 8, for eachrecipient, User A's special-purpose CIP may be downloaded to one or moreof such recipient's Devices 106, as described above.

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also enable, and users may also employ,other automatic customization processes, either as alternatives orsupplements to the preferred process, where such other automaticcustomization processes are analogous to the other (i.e., not“preferred”) automatic update processes discussed above and aretherefore not further discussed here.

In the preferred process, as described above and shown in FIG. 8, (1)User A's special-purpose CIP is not stored in the recipients' MasterContact Lists, and (2) User A's special-purpose CIP is not necessarilydistributed by the Service to all of a recipient's Devices 106 or to arecipient's chosen Distributors 608 of his incoming CIPs (if any). Undersimilar reasoning as discussed above in connection with automatic updateprocesses, the storage (or not) of a special-purpose CIP in arecipient's Master Contact List and the distribution (or not) of aspecial-purpose CIP to all of a recipient's Devices 106 or Distributors608 are treated herein as processes separate from this automaticcustomization process. However, it should be understood that suchstorage and/or distribution of special-purpose CIPs may be included inthis preferred process (and/or other automatic customization processes).

Automatic Delivery Processes

In System 10 (and/or System 60), as shown in FIGS. 1-1B, a user maytransfer his contact information to targeted other users by a variety ofmethods, including, without limitation, those discussed below.

System 10 may enable, and such user may employ, the “preferred”automatic delivery process involving the multiple steps shown in FIG. 9.Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 9, in Step 1, a user (e.g., “User A”)uses any Device 106 in Category 1061 to engage the Service throughInterface 102 via the Internet 103, where he is presented with, forexample, Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2. As described above, in thepreferred embodiment of System 10, a user may create or modify anoutgoing MCIP only while engaging the Service.

In Step 2, in order to create an outgoing MCIP, User A clicks on “MyMCIPs” Block 201 of Display Screen 20, where he is presented withanother screen (or series of screens) enabling him to, among otherthings, create and transfer outgoing MCIP(s). User A indicates he wishesto create an MCIP and the Service prompts him through the process ofdoing so, described above. The MCIP may be of any type and it maycontain, in addition to contact information data (which itself ispromotional in nature), other promotional information (e.g., a banneradvertisement for display in its appearance, like shown for MCIP 42shown in FIG. 4). After completing the MCIP, User A instructs theService to save it, as described above. User A may now, if he wishes,download (or otherwise install) the MCIP to one or more of his Devices106. User A may also now, if he wishes, set Specific Preferences for theMCIP—for example, he may set a Specific Preference for his newly-createdMCIP permitting its compilation in the Service's Directory.

In Step 3, the Service presents User A the opportunity to transfer theMCIP, through the Service, to other users; where, in doing so at anytime, User A selects the recipients (or would-be recipients). Again, theService prompts User A through the process of selecting recipients,which may be done, for example, using a “third selection process.” Insuch process, the Service presents User A with a list of segmentationparameters from which User A may select one or more such parameters, andmake further selections within each such selected parameter, to define a“recipient profile,” that is, a profile of a user who is likely to havean interest in receiving such MCIP. The segmentation parameters on suchlist correspond to information the Service knows or may assume aboutsome or all of its users—for example, information contained in (orcorresponding to) users' outgoing and/or incoming CIPs, stored in theirStorage Spaces 1011 and/or 1012 in Database 101. Preferably, the Serviceemploys, where possible for each selected segmentation parameter, apull-down bar listing possible further selections within such selectedparameter. That is, for example, if User A selects an “Age” segmentationparameter, a pull-down bar may be employed to select among possible agegroups. Also preferably, the Service enables a user, where possible, tohimself define his further selection within a selected segmentationparameter. That is, for example, if User A selects a “Distance”parameter, he may enter any distance (e.g., 2 miles) that he believesbest suits his purposes.

It is best demonstrated through examples the ways in which a user mayuse segmentation parameters to target his MCIP at other users who mayhave an interest in it. For a first example, assume User A is a carservice based in Las Vegas and it has created an outgoing professionalMCIP advertising its services from the airport into town; User A maydefine a recipient profile by selecting two parameters—namely, any user(1) “who does not live or work in Las Vegas” (which information can begathered, e.g., from users' outgoing personal and professional CIPs),but (2) “who is planning to visit Las Vegas” (which information can begathered from users' outgoing special-purpose CIPs). For a secondexample, assume User A is a dry cleaner in a particular neighborhood inNew York City and it has created an outgoing professional MCIPdisplaying the message, “Welcome to the Neighborhood”; User A may definea recipient profile by selecting four parameters—namely, any user (1)“aged 18 and over” (which information can be gathered, e.g., fromrelated information in or corresponding to outgoing CIPs compiled in theService's Directory), (2) “who is a newcomer (i.e., within the last 2weeks)” to the neighborhood, where neighborhood is defined as the area(3) “within a ¼-mile radius” from (4) “my store location” (whereinformation corresponding to the second through fourth parameters can begathered, e.g., from users' updated personal and professional outgoingCIPs [including the date such CIPs were updated and the location codescontained in such CIPS] and User A's professional CIP). For a thirdexample, assume User A is a retailer of new home furnishings (likePottery Barn) and it has created an outgoing professional MCIP offeringa twenty percent discount on its products, where such CIP (and suchdiscount) is to expire, with respect to a particular recipient of it,thirty days after its delivery to that particular recipient, and analert/reminder is to be displayed 7 days before such expiration; User Amay define a recipient profile by selecting two parameters—namely, anyuser (1) “who has changed home address” (2) “within the last 14 days”(which information can be gathered, e.g., from users' updated personalCIPs). For a fourth example, assume User A is a toy retailer (likeToys-R-Us) and it has created an outgoing professional MCIP containing alink to the page on the store's web site displaying the most popularitems for girls ages five through eight; User A may define a recipientprofile by selecting four parameters—namely, any user (1) “who is aparent,” (2) “of a girl”, (3) “aged 5 through 8,” (4) “whose birthday isless than 2 weeks away” (where, as explained above, all such informationmay be gathered, e.g., from users' outgoing personal CIPs). For a fifthexample, assume User A is a retailer of sporting goods and it hascreated an outgoing professional MCIP advertising its high-end bicyclingequipment and gear; User A may define a recipient profile by selectingthree parameters—namely, any user (1) “who has created in the last 2days,” (2) “a classified CIP,” (3) “for the sale of a used bicycle”(which information can be gathered, e.g., from users' outgoingclassified CIPs). For a sixth example, assume User A is retiringlandscaper and he has created an outgoing classified MCIP for the saleof his landscaping equipment, for which he has set a Specific Preferencepermitting its compilation in the Service's Directory; User A may definea recipient profile by selecting three parameters—namely, any user (1)“who is a landscaper” and (2) “who lives or works within a 10-mileradius” from (3) “my home” (which information can be gathered, e.g.,from users' outgoing personal and professional CIPs [including thebusiness category codes and location codes contained therein]). For afinal example, assume User A is an organizer of package travel tours andit has created an outgoing professional MCIP advertising an upcominggolfing package to Scotland, departing from O'Hare airport; User A maydefine a recipient profile by selecting three parameters—namely, anyuser (1) “who is an avid golfer” (which information can be gathered,e.g., from users' incoming CIPs [including, e.g., the golf coursebusiness category codes, if any, contained in such CIPs) and (2) “wholives within a 100-mile radius” from (3) “O'Hare airport” (whereinformation corresponding to the second and third parameters can begathered, e.g., from users' outgoing personal CIPs).

The Service may (but need not) impose service restrictions on theselection process—for example, requiring that selections be sufficientlynarrow (or targeted) to best assure that recipients will find ofinterest the CIPs delivered to them in this preferred process. Like inthe preferred automatic update and customization processes, after UserA's selection is completed, the Service may (but need not) enable him tocompose one or more notes and/or the Service may store his selection forhis future reference. User A then commands the Service to send his CIPto the selected recipients, subject to any limitations imposed by User Aor by additional service restrictions. That is, for example, the Servicemay enable User A to impose limitations on this automatic deliveryprocess—for example, instructing that deliveries automatically cease ona certain date, after delivery of his CIP to a certain number ofrecipients, or after delivery of his CIP to only “first-phaserecipients” (defined below). User A may at any time himself put an endto the process. (For purposes of simplicity herein, however, it isassumed that, once commanded, the Service runs this processindefinitely.)

In Step 4, referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, 3, and 9, Interface 102delivers User A's command (which, among other things, identifies thesubject MCIP) and his selection to Database 101, which then compiles a“final list” of “first-phase recipients,” where such list also contains,for each listed recipient, his preferences defining how he is to receivethe subject CIP. In order to do so, Database 101 may first search for“recipient profile matches,” creating an “interim list” of first-phaserecipients containing the User Identification Codes 3011 for each userwith respect to whom there is such a match. In this preferred process,there is a recipient profile match with respect to a particular userwhen, from information stored in such user's Storage Spaces 1011 and1012, or information stored elsewhere in the database corresponding tosuch user, Database 101 knows or assumes such user meets each of theselected segmentation parameters (and the further selection, if any,within each selected parameter). For example, in the third exampleabove, there is a recipient profile match with respect to any user whohas updated the home address fields in an outgoing CIP within the last14 days; however, there is no such match with respect to a user whoupdated the home address fields in an outgoing CIP 15 days ago.

For each of the users whose User Identification Code 3011 is on theinterim list, Database 101 may then review his General Preferencesand/or Specific Preferences concerning whether he wishes to receive thesubject CIP. That is, the Service may enable each user to impose in hispreferences his own restrictions on this automatic delivery process asit concerns him as a would-be recipient of MCIPs; and, such preferences(if any) may be different from those (if any) set by such user for otherprocesses (e.g., the preferred automatic update process, describedabove). For example, a user may set preferences opting out of receivingparticular types or all types of CIPs in this process. For anotherexample, a user may direct the Service to transfer to him only CIPs ofusers for whom he has another CIP in his Master Contact List; in whichcase, Database 101 can identify (or not) such other CIP in therecipient's Master Contact List with reference to the UserIdentification Code 3011 in the subject CIP. For another example, a usermay set preferences indicating that he does not wish to receive CIPs inthis process from certain users; by doing so, a user may, for example,avoid being further inconvenienced by users who have delivered to him inthe past CIPs that were not of interest to him. For a final example, auser may set preferences indicating that he wishes to receive in thisprocess only, for example, highly-targeted CIPs (as opposed to, e.g.,moderately-targeted CIPs), where, for example, the Service may deliverto him only such CIPs for which the sending users selected (and therewas a recipient profile match with respect to) at least threesegmentation parameters. From the interim list, Database 101 may removethe Code 3011 for each user who it has determined does not wish toreceive User A's CIP, and, for each remaining Code 3011, Database 101may retrieve and add to the list the corresponding user's prevailingpreferences concerning how he wishes to receive the CIP (examples ofwhich are described above), thereby compiling the final list. The finallist may also include User A's composed note or a Service-standard notefor each such user.

Database 101 may at this point generate for, and deliver to, User A areport concerning this automatic delivery process, like as describedabove for the preferred automatic update process. Database 101 may alsogenerate messages for the running reports of the recipients and/orwould-be recipients of User A's CIP in this process, again like asdescribed above for the preferred automatic update process.

Preferably, Database 101 is programmed to employ the most efficientprocessing techniques. For example, in this Step 4, it may be moreefficient for Database 101 to first determine users' preferencesconcerning whether they wish to receive the subject CIP in this process,thereby reducing the number of users with respect to whom Database 101need search for a recipient profile match. Moreover, Database 101 may,with respect to each user, regularly process and save certaininformation, which information may be used, but need not itself beprocessed, in this Step 4 (or in other steps in this process or in stepsin other processes). That is, for example, Database 101 may maintain foreach user a “user profile,” which compiles information about such usercorresponding, for example, to the segmentation parameters presented bythe Service in Step 3 in this process. Where, for example, one of thepresented segmentation parameters is “Hobbies,” and one of the furtherselections in such parameter is “Avid Golfer,” Database 101 may compileinformation in a user profile indicating whether such user “is” or “isnot” an avid golfer. With respect to such user, Database 101 may at anytime perform the processing (if any) necessary to compile this piece ofinformation; for example, Database 101 may make an assumption that suchuser is an avid golfer based on the fact that he has stored in hisMaster Contact List 25 incoming CIPs containing the “golf course”business category code. Then, considering the recipient profiledescribed in the final example above, where this piece of information isrelevant and compiled in advance in users' user profiles, in this Step4, Database 101 has such information available to it without having toperform the processing necessary to compile it.

Where there is one or more Code 3011 on the final list, in Step 4A,referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 9, Database 101 delivers the finallist to Gateway 104, together with User A's CIP, derived from the MCIPin User A's Storage Space 1011 in Database 101. The Service may maintainand store in Database 101, for each user, a “delivery log,” which, foreach outgoing CIP that the Service has delivered in this process to anyother user, logs, for each such CIP, the User Identification Codes 3011of all users to whom the Service has delivered such CIP. Such deliverylog may be employed, for example (and if desired), to assure that, inthis process, the subject CIP is delivered no more than once to aparticular recipient. Therefore, Database 101 may log in User A'sdelivery log the subject CIP and, corresponding to it, the Codes 3011 onthe final list.

In Step 4B, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 9, Gateway 104, as directedby the information in the final list, generates and sends a separatecommunication(s) to each recipient via the Internet 103 and/or Networks105, including in each such communication User A's CIP and therebypresenting the CIP for downloading to one or more of such recipient'sDevices 106, all in a manner analogous to that described above for Step6 of the preferred automatic update process (noting again that a user'spreferences concerning how he wishes to receive CIPs in this process maydiffer from those concerning how he wishes to receive CIPs in otherprocesses).

In Step 4C, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 9, for each recipient, UserA's CIP may be downloaded to one or more of such recipient's Devices106, as described above.

In Step 5, referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, 3, and 9, Database 101compiles a “final list” of “next-phase recipients.” In order to do so,Database 101 may, like in Step 4 above, first create an interim list,then remove from the list the Code 3011 for each user who it hasdetermined does not wish to receive User A's CIP (as well as, ifdesired, the Code 3011 for each user whose such code appears in User A'sdelivery log as corresponding to the subject CIP), and, for eachremaining Code 3011, retrieve and add to the list the correspondinguser's prevailing preferences concerning how he wishes to receive theCIP. In creating the interim list of next-phase recipients, Database 101again searches for recipient profile matches. After completing a searchfor recipient profile matches (as in Step 4), Database 101 conducts anew search either on a periodic basis or upon the occurrence of a“triggering event”—that is, activity taking place in connection withanother user (not User A) indicating a possibility of a recipientprofile match with respect to such other user where none was before.With respect to such other user, triggering events may include, forexample, his creating an outgoing MCIP, his updating an outgoing MCIP,and/or the Service's updating his user profile. For example, where, inthe first example above, such other user creates a new special-purposeoutgoing MCIP, Database 101 may regard that activity as a triggeringevent and therefore conduct a search for a recipient profile match withrespect to such user to determine, among other things, whether suchspecial-purpose outgoing MCIP indicates that such user “is planning tovisit Las Vegas.”

Database 101 may be programmed to employ additional processingtechniques with the aim of increasing the efficiency of processing inthis Step 5. For example, with respect to a particular subject CIP,Database 101 may not conduct a search for a recipient profile match, ormonitor triggering events, with respect to users whose Codes 3011 appearon User A's delivery log as corresponding to the subject CIP. Foranother example, as another measure to reduce the overall population ofusers with respect to whom Database 101 may conduct a search, or monitortriggering events, in this Step 5, Database 101 may, in the previousstep, compile a list of users with respect to whom, though there was norecipient profile match, there was a “near match.” A near match maymean, for example, that such user meets most (though not all) of theselected segmentation parameters (and the further selection, if any,within each selected parameter); particularly where, for example, thesegmentation parameter such user does not meet is temporal. That is,considering the fourth example above, assume that in Step 4 Database 101found that a particular user met three of the four segmentationparameters, but that, with respect to the fourth such parameter, foundthat such user's daughter's birthday was three weeks away, not “lessthan 2 weeks away”; assume further that Database 101 included suchuser's Code 3011 on a list of near matches. Then, in this Step 5,Database 101 may be programmed to search for recipient profile matches,or monitor triggering events, only with respect to users appearing onsuch list.

Database 101 may at this point generate or update the report for User A,and generate or update messages for other users, all as described abovein connection with Step 4.

Where there is one or more Code 3011 on the final list, in Steps 5A, 5B,and 5C, respectively, Database 101 delivers the final list to Gateway104, Gateway 104 presents the CIP for downloading to one or more of eachrecipient's Devices 106, and each recipient downloads such CIP to one ormore of such devices, all as described above for Steps 4A, 4B, and 4C.The process continues with Database 101's compiling a final list ofstill next-phase recipients.

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also enable, and users may also employ,other automatic delivery processes (some of which are discussed below),either as alternatives or supplements to the preferred process, wherecertain such other automatic delivery processes are analogous to theother (i.e., not “preferred”) automatic updated processes discussedabove and are therefore not further discussed here. For example, wherethe overall selection process of Step 3 (as described above) involvesonly a “third selection process,” such overall selection process mayalso involve, as in the preferred automatic update process, a firstselection process (the same as or analogous to that described above) ora second selection process (the same as or analogous to that describedabove), or a combination of both. That is, for example, assuming User Ais an on-line seller of fine wines and it has created an outgoingspecial-purpose MCIP promoting a special wine-tasting event it ishosting at a hotel in Las Vegas, including in it an expiration date forthe day after the event is to take place; User A may define a recipientprofile by selecting four parameters—namely, any user (1) “in my MasterContact List,” (2) “who does not live or work in Las Vegas,” but (3)“who will be in Las Vegas,” (4) “on June 20” (where informationcorresponding to the second through fourth parameters can be gathered,e.g., from users' outgoing CIPs). Preferably, in such example, Database101 would first identify users meeting the first parameter, andthereafter search for recipient profile matches, or monitor triggeringevents, only with respect to such users. For another example, in thethird example above, where such CIP (and such discount) is to expire,with respect to a particular recipient of it, thirty days after itsdelivery to that particular recipient, in Step 4A or 5A, Database 101may, in deriving from User A's MCIP a CIP for delivery to a particularrecipient, include in it the appropriate expiration date. For anotherexample, where, as in the third example above, the sending user may wishto specify that the subject CIP or, for example, the discountrepresented by such CIP be “non-transferable,” System 10 may includemeans for avoiding or minimizing the unauthorized further transfer oruse of such CIP. That is, for example, Database 101 may include in suchCIP an “enable downloading” toggle instruction (in, e.g., Block 305 ofsample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3), in effect enabling the downloading ofsuch CIP to the Devices 106 of intended recipients, but disabling thedownloading of such CIP to the Devices 106 of unintended recipients (towhom the intended recipients may attempt to transfer, or forward, suchCIP). For another example, in Step 4A or 5A, Database 101 may, inderiving from User A's MCIP a CIP for delivery to a particularrecipient, include in the appearance of it the name of the intendedrecipient (as in, e.g., “a special discount for Peter Leung”), in effectenabling the use of the discount represented by such CIP only to theuser (i.e., the intended recipient) whose credit card displays the samename as displayed in the CIP. For another example, in same Step 4A or5A, Database 101 may include in the subject CIP another form of“intended recipient identifier”—for example, a code (either the intendedrecipient's User Identification Code 3011 or another code) sufficient todistinguish one intended recipient from other intended recipients. When,for example, such CIP is uploaded to the web site of the sending user inthe course of redeeming such discount in an on-line transaction, suchintended recipient identifier is made known to the sending user, ineffect enabling the sending user to limit use of such discount only tothe intended recipient or to limit use of such discount only to aone-time redemption (either by the intended recipient or another user towhom such CIP was transferred). These or analogous means may be employedas well in other processes to avoid or minimize the unauthorized furthertransfer or use of a particular CIP, whether the CIP is presented fordownloading to the intended recipient by the Service (as in, e.g.,Transfer Type 5) or by another user (as in, e.g. Transfer Type 1). Foranother example, like as explained above in the example of thetelecommunications service provider as a Connected CIP Distributor 608,the Service may enable a sending user (e.g., User A) to select, and UserA may select, a segmentation parameter targeting other users based ontheir current locations while using mobile devices, either alone ortogether with other segmentation parameters, specifying that, if arecipient profile match is found with respect to a particular other user(and subject to such other user's preferences), the subject CIP bedelivered to the mobile Device 106 in use. In such case, the generationor provision of information concerning the current location of one ormore other users may be regarded by the Service as a triggering event.This and other information concerning other users may be generated bythe Service and/or provided to the Service; and the delivery of thesubject CIP may be made by the Service and/or by a Connected CIPDistributor 608.

In the preferred process, as described above and shown in FIG. 9, (1)User A's CIP is not stored in the recipients' Master Contact Lists, and(2) User A's CIP, though included in one or more communications to eachrecipient from Gateway 104, is not necessarily distributed by theService to all of such recipient's Devices 106 or to such recipient'schosen Distributors 608 of his incoming CIPs (if any). Under similarreasoning as discussed above in connection with automatic updateprocesses, the storage (or not) of a CIP in a recipient's Master ContactList and the distribution (or not) of a CIP to all of a recipient'sDevices 106 or Distributors 608 are treated herein as processes separatefrom this automatic delivery process. However, it should be understoodthat such storage and/or distribution of CIPs may be included in thispreferred process (and/or other automatic delivery processes).

Automatic Storage Processes

In System 10 (and/or System 60), as shown in FIGS. 1-1B, a user'scontact information may be stored in a database by a variety of methods,including, without limitation, those discussed below.

System 10 may enable, and such user may employ, the “preferred”automatic storage process involving the multiple steps shown in FIG. 10.Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 10, in Step 1, a user (e.g., User B)downloads and saves an incoming CIP to a Device 106 in Category 1061, asdescribed above, where such CIP may have been presented for downloadingto such device through, among other means, any of the automatic transferprocesses described above.

In Step 2, the Software Module on such device and/or software in theincoming CIP itself (in, for example, Block 305 of sample MCIP 30 shownin FIG. 3) creates and temporarily stores on the device a “Return CIP,”a sample of which is shown in FIG. 11. Referring to FIG. 11, Return CIP70 is a software file corresponding to the downloaded incoming CIP(e.g., sample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3) and may include in InformationBlock 701 (or “Block 701”) a User Identification Code 7011 (or “Code7011”), CIP Identification Code 7012 (or “Code 7012”), CIP Version Code7013 (or “Code 7013”), and/or CIP Type Code 7014 (or “Code 7014”)corresponding, respectively, to Codes 3011-3014 of the downloadedincoming CIP. For example, if, as shown in FIG. 3, Code 3011 in thedownloaded incoming CIP is “0004770037,” then Code 7011 in correspondingReturn CIP 70 is also “0004770037.” A Return CIP may contain contactinformation data and/or other information contained in the correspondingincoming CIP; however, sample Return CIP 70 does not contain theinformation contained in Blocks 302-305 of sample MCIP 30. A Return CIPmay, but need not, also contain other information. For example, as shownin FIG. 11, Return CIP 70 contains in Information Block 706 (or “Block706”) certain of User B's Specific Preferences for the correspondingincoming CIP. User B may have the opportunity to set such preferences,for example, during a download routine as described above. For example,during downloading, User B may be queried whether he wishes the incomingCIP to be stored in Database 101 (and if so, whether he permits themining of the CIP for automatic radial mining processes) and/or whetherhe wishes the incoming CIP to be distributed by the Service as in, forexample, the preferred automatic portability process described below(and if not, whether he wishes to take advantage of a clearing process,also described below, that may be included in an automatic portabilityprocess); where, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, code “11” means“Yes,” code “01” means “No,” and code “00” means “no response.” If UserB indicates during downloading that he wants neither database storagenor distribution of the incoming CIP, then, though the downloadedincoming CIP may be saved on his device, a corresponding Return CIP maynot be created and stored thereon. The Return CIP may be stored on thedevice in, for example, a “Return CIPs folder.” Preferably, User B mayat any time determine the number of Return CIPs stored on a Device 106;for example, the Software Module may include a counter of such ReturnCIPs that can be viewed at any time by User B.

In Step 3, referring to FIGS. 1 and 10, User B uses such Device 106 toengage the Service through Interface 102 via the Internet 103, where heis presented with, for example, Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2.

In Step 4, User B may, for example, click on “My MCL” Block 202 ofDisplay Screen 20, where he is presented with another screen (or seriesof screens) enabling him to, among other things, upload to the Servicethe Return CIP(s) stored on such device. The Service prompts User Bthrough the process of uploading Return CIPs, which are, for example,retrieved from the Return CIPs folder on User B's device and transferredvia the Internet 103 through Interface 102 to Database 101. Preferably,the uploaded Return CIPs are then erased from such device.

In Step 5, Database 101 may first use User B's User Identification Code3011 to retrieve and review his General Preferences concerning thestorage of incoming CIPs in his Master Contact List (in his StorageSpace 1012 in Database 101, as shown in FIG. 1A). As the Service mayenable a user to set different General Preferences for each type ofincoming CIP, Database 101 may extract from the Return CIP(s) the CIPType Code 7014 to determine, for each Return CIP, the applicable GeneralPreferences. Database 101 may then, for each Return CIP, compile theSpecific Preference (if any) concerning whether User B wants thecorresponding incoming CIP stored in his Master Contact List, comparingsuch Specific Preference with such General Preferences to determine, foreach corresponding incoming CIP, the prevailing preference. In compilingsuch Specific Preference, Database 101 may (1) retrieve it from theReturn CIP, and/or (2) in such cases where the General Preferences callfor no storage of the corresponding incoming CIP and either the ReturnCIP does not contain any Specific Preferences (i.e., the Return CIP doesnot have a Block 706 as shown for Return CIP 70 in FIG. 11) or theReturn CIP contains a “no response” code for such Specific Preference,search User B's Master Contact List for a CIP having, for example, aCode 3011 and a Code 3012 the same as, respectively, the Code 7011 andthe Code 7012 contained in the Return CIP, and, if such CIP is found,assign such Specific Preference (if any) assigned to it to thecorresponding incoming CIP. For each Return CIP, if the prevailingpreference for the corresponding incoming CIP indicates that User B doesto not want the corresponding incoming CIP stored in his Master ContactList, then, for such Return CIP, the process ends without the storage ofthe corresponding incoming CIP in User B's Master Contact List. However,for each Return CIP, if the prevailing preference for the correspondingincoming CIP indicates that User B wants the corresponding incoming CIPstored in his Master Contact List, then, for such Return CIP, theprocess continues with Step 6.

In Step 6, referring additionally to FIG. 1A, Database 101 may use Code7011 in the Return CIP to locate the Storage Space 1011 of the user(e.g., User A) having the same User Identification Code 3011 and may useCode 7012 in the Return CIP to retrieve from such storage space theoutgoing CIP having the same CIP Identification Code 3012 (i.e., thecorresponding incoming CIP). Database 101 may then determine whetherthere is a preexisting storage element by searching User B's MasterContact List in his Storage Space 1012 for an incoming CIP having thesame Codes 3011 and 3012 as those in the corresponding incoming CIP. Ifnone such CIP is found, then the process continues and ends with Step6A, where Database 101 stores the corresponding incoming CIP in a newstorage element; and, if the Return CIP contains Specific Preferences,in, for example, Block 706 of Return CIP 70 shown in FIG. 11, extractssuch preferences from the Return CIP and stores such preferences asassigned to the corresponding incoming CIP. If such CIP is found, thenthe process continues and ends with Step 6B, where Database 101 storesthe corresponding incoming CIP in the same storage element in which suchCIP is stored (the preexisting element), overwriting such CIP (exceptwhere such CIP has a CIP Version Code 3013 equal to or greater than thatin the corresponding incoming CIP, in which case, such CIP is notoverwritten and Database 101 may discard the corresponding incomingCIP); and, if the Return CIP contains Specific Preferences, extractssuch preferences from the Return CIP and stores them as assigned to thecorresponding incoming CIP (together with any Specific Preferencespreviously stored as assigned to such CIP and not duplicative of, oroverridden by, any such preference extracted from the Return CIP).Preferably, where such CIP is found and it has the same Codes 3011,3012, and 3013, but a different character code (if any) in, for example,Block 303, as those in the corresponding incoming CIP, the correspondingincoming CIP is stored in a new storage element.

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also enable, and a user may alsoemploy, other automatic storage processes (some of which are discussedbelow), either as alternatives or supplements to the preferred process.For example, a Return CIP may be created and temporarily stored onanother Device 106 (not just in Category 1061) upon the downloading ofan incoming CIP to such other device; and, User B may use such otherdevice to engage, and upload Return CIPs to, the Service (e.g., using aDevice 106 in Category 1063, through Gateway 104 via Networks 105). Foranother example, in a download routine as described above, a Return CIPmay contain an “accepted/rejected indicator” (where, e.g., a code of“11” in the indicator means “accepted” and a code of “00” means“rejected”). That is, for example, a “rejected” code may be treated byDatabase 101 as a “Specific Preference” indicating that User B does notwant the corresponding incoming CIP stored in his Master Contact List(absent a Specific Preference to the contrary). For another example, asdiscussed above, a Return CIP may include supplementary information,such as a voice activation stamp, a digital photograph, informationconcerning the manner in which a user wishes to categorize the incomingCIP in the folders of his Master Contact List (which may be derived fromthe manner in which he categorizes the incoming CIP in the folders ofhis device-based address book), and/or other information. That is, forexample, when User B downloads and saves an incoming CIP of User A(e.g., a friend named “Bob”) on his mobile phone, he may record a voiceactivation stamp for the CIP as a whole (e.g., “Bob's CIP”) and/or forone or more of the fields of information in the CIP (e.g., “Bob's cell,”for a mobile telephone number field) to be used in voice-activated speeddialing; he may assign to the CIP a photograph of his friend to be usedas a caller ID; and he may save the CIP in the “Friends and Family”folder in his device-based address book. On the device in use, suchsupplementary information may be stored as corresponding to thedownloaded incoming CIP. Such supplementary information may also beincluded in the corresponding Return CIP, such that when the Return CIPis uploaded to the Service, such information may also be stored in UserB's Master Contact List as corresponding to the corresponding incomingCIP. For another example, a Return CIP stored on a Device 106 may bemodified (or even deleted) before it is uploaded to the Service. Thatis, for example, if during such time User B re-sets (i.e., adds to,subtracts from, or changes) the supplementary information for theincoming CIP saved on such device, the corresponding Return CIP may bemodified to reflect his re-setting of such supplementary information.For another example, the Service may, at any time that may beappropriate for User B to upload Return CIPs from his device in use tothe Service (e.g., each time he engages the Service), suggest that he doso and enable him to do so without, for example, clicking on “My MCL”Block 202 of Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2. Indeed, at any suchtime, the Service may itself initiate the uploading of Return CIPs(subject to User B's preferences), where it may, for example, retrieveand upload Return CIPs (if any) stored on User B's device in use. Foranother example, in Step 6 of the preferred process, for each ReturnCIP, if, when retrieving the corresponding incoming CIP from User A'sStorage Space 1011, Database 101 determines that such CIP has a CIPVersion Code 3013 that is greater than the CIP Version Code 7013 in theReturn CIP, Database 101 may (unlike as described above) not store suchCIP in User B's Master Contact List. Further, in such case, if thecorresponding incoming CIP is not already stored in a preexistingelement in User B's Master Contact List, Database 101 may, for example,generate a message for inclusion in User B's running report stating thatthe downloaded incoming CIP is an outdated CIP and/or generate a messagefor inclusion in User A's running report requesting permission to sendto User B the updated CIP in a manner analogous to that described in thepreferred automatic update process. For another example, the Service mayenable a user (e.g., User B) to set a General Preference indicating thathe wishes, where possible, to have stored in his Master Contact ListCIPs in a particular alphabet (e.g., the Roman alphabet). Assuming,then, in retrieving the corresponding incoming CIP from User A's StorageSpace 1011 in Step 6 of the preferred process, Database 101 finds onecorresponding incoming CIP having one character code and anothercorresponding incoming CIP having another character code, then Database101 may retrieve the corresponding incoming CIP having the charactercode (e.g., “001”) indicating that such CIP is in the Roman alphabet.For another example, for each Return CIP, if the prevailing preferencefor the corresponding incoming CIP indicates that User B does not wantthe corresponding incoming CIP stored in his Master Contact List, then,for such corresponding incoming CIP, Database 101 may determine whetherthere is a preexisting storage element and, if there is a preexistingelement, clear from it the incoming CIP stored therein. In embodimentsthat include this clearing process, a Return CIP may be created andstored on User B's device during downloading of the incoming CIP evenif, during such downloading, he sets Specific Preferences indicatingthat he wants neither database storage nor distribution of thecorresponding incoming CIP. For another example, a Return CIP may becreated and temporarily stored on a Device 106 at times other thanduring the downloading of the corresponding incoming CIP to such device.That is, for example, when User B deletes from his device an incomingCIP previously saved thereon, where the corresponding Return CIP (ifany) previously created during the saving of the incoming CIP is nolonger stored on the device (e.g., it was already uploaded to theService), a new corresponding Return CIP may be created and temporarilystored on the device containing, for example, a “rejected” indicatormeaning that, in an embodiment that includes the clearing process, whenthe Return CIP is uploaded to the Service and absent a SpecificPreference to the contrary, the to corresponding incoming CIP is clearedfrom the preexisting storage element (if any) in User B's Master ContactList. For a final example, a Return CIP may be created upon User B'sdownloading of an incoming CIP (in a manger analogous to that describedabove for Devices 106) to, for example, an on-line address bookmaintained at a Distributor 608 (e.g., AOL) and/or upon the deletion ofan incoming CIP from such on-line address book, where such distributor'sdelivery of such Return CIP to the Service via the connection betweenthem is analogous to Step 4 of the preferred process, as shown in FIG.10. In such case, a Return CIP may include some form of “recipientidentifier” (discussed below) and/or some form of “distributoridentifier” (analogous to a “device identifier,” also discussed below).

Preferably, whether the uploading of Return CIPs is initiated by User Bor the Service, the Service advises User B (prior to such uploading)that he should abandon the process if he is not using one of his ownDevices 106 (e.g., he is using a friend's desktop computer to engage theService) or he does not otherwise wish to upload Return CIPs, to avoid,for example, the storage in his Storage Space 1012 of correspondingincoming CIPs intended for another (e.g., his friend). As another meansto avoid the Service's processing for one user of Return CIPs “intended”for another user, a Return CIP may include a “recipient identifier.” Therecipient identifier may be the User Identification Code 3011 of theuser to whose device the incoming CIP is downloaded. That is, where auser's Device 106 has on it a Software Module and the Module hasregistered within it the user's User Identification Code 3011, a ReturnCIP created on such device may include the Code 3011 as a recipientidentifier. Therefore, for example, if User B is using one of User A'sDevices 106 to engage the Service and Return CIPs are uploaded from thedevice to the Service, then, for each Return CIP that includes arecipient identifier, Database 101 associates such Return CIP not withthe user who is engaging the Service (User B), but with the user whoseCode 3011 is the recipient identifier in the Return CIP (User A), andDatabase 101 therefore stores (or not) the corresponding incoming CIP inUser A's Master Contact List. For another example, if User B has anindividual account with the Service and is using one of his own Devices106 to engage the Service for limited access to his employer's businessaccount, uploaded Return CIPs containing as a recipient identifier UserB's individual account Code 3011 are associated by Database 101 withUser B's individual account, not with his employer's business account.If such device is a registered Device 106 for both User B's individualaccount and his employer's business account, and User B uses such devicefor both personal and professional purposes, then, preferably, theSoftware Module on such device has registered within it User B'sindividual account Code 3011 (not his employer's business account Code3011), whereby Return CIPs created on such device contain such code as arecipient identifier. The Service may also disable the uploading ofReturn CIPs under certain circumstances; for example, from a devicebeing used to engage the Service for only limited access to an account.

A user may at any time upload one or more CIPs (or the Codes 3011 and3012 of one or more CIPs, for Database 101's retrieval of such CIPs fromStorage Space 1011) from a device to the Service and/or download one ormore CIPs from the Service to a device, where, if applicable, at boththe Service and on the device, an updated CIP overwrites an outdatedCIP. That is, for example, a user may use a Device 106 in Category 1061to engage the Service through Interface 102 via the Internet 103, wherehe is presented with, for example, Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2; hemay click on “My MCL” Block 202, where he is presented with anotherscreen (or series of screens) enabling him to, among other things,synchronize (in whole or in part) the address book on his device in usewith his Master Contact List stored in his Storage Space 1012 inDatabase 101. The Service prompts the user through this process ofuploading and/or downloading CIPs, where the user may, for example,select from his Master Contact List CIPs to be downloaded to his devicein use, select from his device CIPs to be uploaded to his Master ContactList, and/or command the Service to perform a complete synchronization,which may be done employing one of a number of possible protocols(preferably selected by the user) and which may involve, among otherthings, a combination of uploading and downloading, as well as Database101's comparison of Codes 3011, 3012, and/or 3013 in multiple CIPs.Where, for example, a user selects from his Master Contact List CIPs tobe downloaded to his device in use, he may select CIPs individuallyand/or in groups (e.g., all CIPs in his Master Contact List). That is,for example, assuming a user is engaging the Service using a mobilephone newly issued to him by his employer, and he is to use this devicefor professional purposes only, he may select as a group of CIPs to bedownloaded to the device all professional and personal/professionalincoming CIPs (i.e., those having a Code 3014 of “02” or “03”). Whileengaging the Service using a particular Device 106, a user may, in amanner analogous to that described immediately above, command theService to send one or more CIPs stored in his Master Contact List fordownloading to one or more of his other Devices 106, upon which command,Database 101 delivers the selected CIP(s) together with the user'spreferences to Gateway 104 and, according to the user's preferences,Gateway 104 generates and sends the user one or more communications viathe Internet 103 and/or Networks 105, including in such communication(s)the selected CIP(s). Similarly, while engaging the Service using aparticular Device 106, a user may command the Service to send him one ormore CIPs stored in his Master Contact List for storage at one or moreof his Distributors 608 (e.g., in an on-line address book), followingwhich command, the Service delivers the selected CIP(s) to suchDistributor(s) 608 via the connection(s) between the Service and suchdistributor(s), as shown in FIG. 6. In delivering CIPs, as describedabove in this paragraph, for downloading to a user's Devices 106 and/orfor storage at a user's Distributors 608, Database 101 may, for eachsuch CIP, first enable in it in Block 305 a “do not create a Return CIP”toggle instruction. The Service may maintain and store in Database 101,for each user, a “distribution log,” which, for each outgoing CIP and/orincoming CIP that the Service has sent (through any of the processesdescribed herein) to any of such user's registered Devices 106 and/orDistributors 608, logs, for each such CIP, all of such devices and/ordistributors to which the Service has sent such CIP. Such distributionlog may be employed, for example, to streamline the downloading ofincoming CIPs in the user's Master Contact List from the Service to aparticular Device 106. That is, for example, the user can instruct theService to send to a particular Device 106 only those incoming CIPsstored in his Master Contact List that the Service has not previouslysent to such device. In certain embodiments, the Service may also enablethe uploading to the Service and/or the downloading from the Service ofcontact information data that is not contained in and/or represented bya CIP; moreover, the Service may enable the storage of such non-CIPincoming contact information data in a user's Master Contact List in hisStorage Space 1012 in Database 101. Preferably, the Service may at anytime (in a process initiated by the user or the Service itself),automatically construct from the information in such non-CIP incomingcontact information data one or more search requests for searching theDirectory for CIPs that may correspond to such non-CIP information, in amanner analogous to that described above for Transfer Types 5 and/or 6,and thereby assist a user in replacing non-CIP incoming contactinformation data with incoming CIPs.

A user may otherwise manage his Master Contact List in a manneranalogous to the way he manages a device-based or on-line address book,where common address book functions may be enhanced—and still otherfunctions may be enabled—as described above for device-based addressbooks. He may do so, for example, using any Device 106 in Category 1061to engage the Service through Interface 102 via the Internet 103, wherehe is presented with, for example, Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2;clicking on “My MCL” Block 202, he is presented with another screen (orseries of screens) enabling him to, among other things (and in additionto functions previously described for device-based address to books),set/re-set Specific Preferences for incoming CIPs, delete incoming CIPs(whereupon the Service may, according to the user's preferences,distribute “Clearing CIPs” to his other Device(s) 106, as shown in Steps6A through 9A of FIG. 12A and discussed below), and/or command theService to transfer (or forward) one or more incoming CIPs to anotheruser. Where a user has stored in his Master Contact List multipleincoming CIPs (e.g., a personal CIP and a professional CIP)corresponding to a single other user, he may (for any or all such otherusers) view such CIPs as separate entries or merge them for viewing onlyas a single entry (where such correspondence is established by thecommon User Identification Code 3011 contained in each such CIP). A usermay also arrange for group access to all or a portion of his MasterContact List, not in this case by permitting another user limited accessto his account (as described in an example above), but rather bypermitting access to his Master Contact List through another account.That is, for example, using again the example of the distributor ofmedical devices (a business user), the user may assign a certainSpecific Preference to an incoming CIP not only by assigning it directlyto the particular CIP, but alternatively by assigning it to a particularfolder in the Master Contact List and then categorizing the CIP in thatfolder. Then, for example, each incoming CIP categorized in the foldercalled “Current and Prospective Customers in Southwest Region” isassigned a Specific Preference permitting designated other users toaccess that CIP through their own accounts. Here, the business user maydesignate a certain member of its sales staff by selecting thatindividual's personal or professional CIP. The Service uses the Code3011 in the CIP to establish the “link” between the business user'saccount and the individual user's account. Therefore, the individualuser is permitted access to the incoming CIPs in that particular folderin the business user's Master Contact List. Such access may mean that,when engaging the Service through his individual account and accessinghis own Master Contact List, such individual may view (and only view)such incoming CIPs. Alternatively, such access may mean that, when theindividual is next engaging the Service through his own account, theService presents such incoming CIPs for storage in his Master ContactList and/or downloading to his device in use. In still anotheralternative, the business user's categorizing of a particular incomingCIP in that folder may be treated by the Service as a request totransfer the CIP to the individual user through Gateway 104 via theInternet 103 and/or Networks 105, where the Service may do so in themanner defined by the individual user's preferences.

Automatic Portability Processes

In System 10 (and/or System 60), as shown in FIGS. 1-1B, a user'scontact information may be available on and/or accessible throughmultiple devices by a variety of methods, including, without limitation,those discussed below.

System 10 may enable, and such user may employ, the “preferred”automatic portability process involving the multiple steps shown in FIG.12. Referring initially to FIGS. 1, 11, and 12, in Step 1, a user (e.g.,User B) downloads and saves an incoming CIP to a Device 106 in Category1061; in Step 2, a Return CIP is created and temporarily stored on thedevice, which Return CIP may contain certain Specific Preferencesindicating, among other things, whether User B wishes the correspondingincoming CIP to be distributed by the Service as described below; inStep 3, User B uses such Device 106 to engage the Service throughInterface 102 via the Internet 103; and in Step 4, the Return CIP(s)stored on such device are uploaded to the Service, all as describedabove for Steps 1 through 4 of the preferred automatic storage processshown in FIG. 10.

In Step 5, Database 101 may first use User B's User Identification Code3011 to retrieve and review his General Preferences concerning thedistribution of incoming CIPs to his Devices 106, including whether hewants such distribution (e.g., “Yes”) and/or how he wants suchdistribution (e.g., “personal incoming CIPs going to my personal e-mailaddress and professional incoming CIPs going to my professional e-mailaddress”). In a System 10 where the Service may perform both thisprocess and the preferred automatic storage process discussed above andshown in FIG. 10, the Service may perform both such processessimultaneously; for example, in this Step 5, where Database 101retrieves User B's General Preferences concerning the distribution ofincoming CIPs to his Devices 106, Database 101 may simultaneouslyretrieve his General Preferences concerning the storage of incoming CIPsin his Master Contact List, as described above in Step 5 of thepreferred automatic storage process. As the Service may enable a user toset different General Preferences for each type of incoming CIP,Database 101 may extract from the Return CIP(s) the CIP Type Code 7014to determine, for each Return CIP, the applicable General Preferences.Database 101 may then, for each Return CIP, compile the SpecificPreferences (if any) concerning whether and/or how User B wants thecorresponding incoming CIP distributed to his Devices 106, comparingsuch Specific Preferences with such General Preferences to determine,for each corresponding incoming CIP, the prevailing preferences. Incompiling such Specific Preferences, Database 101 may (1) retrieve themfrom the Return CIP, (2) in such cases where either the Return CIP doesnot contain any Specific Preferences (i.e., the Return CIP does not havea Block 706 as shown for Return CIP 70 in FIG. 11) or the Return CIPcontains a “no response” code for such Specific Preferences, search UserB's Master Contact List for a CIP having, for example, a Code 3011 and aCode 3012 the same as, respectively, the Code 7011 and the Code 7012contained in the Return CIP, and, if such CIP is found, assign suchSpecific Preferences (if any) assigned to it to the correspondingincoming CIP, and/or (3) where the user wishes to store thecorresponding incoming CIP in his Master Contact List, the Return CIPcontains within it (as described above) information concerning themanner in which he wishes to categorize the CIP in the folders of hisMaster Contact List, and the folder in which he wishes to categorizesuch CIP has assigned to it (as also described above) such SpecificPreferences, assign such Specific Preferences to the correspondingincoming CIP. For example, assume User B is a member of the sales teamfor a distributor of medical devices and, in downloading an incoming CIPto a particular device, he categorizes the CIP in his device-basedaddress book in a folder called “promising sales leads,” where suchinformation may be included in the corresponding Return CIP. When suchReturn CIP is uploaded to the Service while User B is engaging theService through his individual account, the Service may use suchinformation to store and categorize the corresponding incoming CIP inhis Master Contact List, in a folder also called “promising salesleads.” Assuming further that User B previously assigned to such foldera Specific Preference indicating that all corresponding incoming CIPscategorized therein are to be distributed to, among other of hisregistered Devices 106, his registered device number “4,” which is hisregional manager's desktop computer, then, User B's prevailingpreferences concerning distribution of the corresponding incoming CIPwill include the means for Gateway 104's communicating with such device.(If the corresponding incoming CIP is not initially categorized in suchfolder in User B's Master Contact List, but in managing his MasterContact List he later categorizes such CIP in such folder, then theService may at that time, with reference to, among other things, UserB's distribution log, distribute such CIP to all devices (if any)identified in the folder's Specific Preferences to which such CIP wasnot previously distributed.) For each Return CIP, if the prevailingpreference for the corresponding incoming CIP indicates that User B doesnot want the corresponding incoming CIP distributed to his Devices 106,then, for such Return CIP, the process ends without such distribution ofthe corresponding incoming CIP. However, for each Return CIP, if theprevailing preference for the corresponding incoming CIP indicates thatUser B wants the corresponding incoming CIP distributed to his Devices106, then, for such Return CIP, the process continues with Step 6.

In Step 6, referring additionally to FIG. 1A, for such Return CIP,Database 101 retrieves the corresponding incoming CIP and delivers it toGateway 104, together with User B's preferences concerning how such CIPis to be distributed to his Devices 106. In order to retrieve such CIP,Database 101 may use Code 7011 in the Return CIP to locate the StorageSpace 1011 of the user (e.g., User A) having the same UserIdentification Code 3011 and may use Code 7012 in the Return CIP toretrieve from such storage space the outgoing CIP having the same CIPIdentification Code 3012 (i.e., the corresponding incoming CIP). If, inthis Step 6, Database 101 were to retrieve two or more differentcorresponding incoming CIPs (i.e., corresponding to two or moredifferent Return CIPs), then, using User B's preferences concerning howeach of such CIPs is to be distributed to his Devices 106, Database 101may compile a list defining each selected means of communication withUser B (e.g., e-mail at personal e-mail address) and, for each suchmeans of communication, identifying the corresponding incoming CIP(s)(one or more) to be included in a communication with User B by suchmeans (in Step 7 below); and, if such were the case, Database 101 may inthis step deliver such list to Gateway 104. However, it is assumedherein for purposes of simplification that, in this Step 6, Database 101retrieves one corresponding incoming CIP.

In Step 7, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 11, Gateway 104, as directedby such preferences, generates and sends one or more separatecommunications to User B via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105,including in each such communication the corresponding incoming CIP fordownloading to one or more Devices 106. Where particular communicationsservices enable the delivery of CIPs to a particular Device 106 via theInternet 103 and/or Networks 105, such communication may be, forexample, through e-mail service. Assuming User B has set preferencesindicating that he wishes to receive distributed CIPs as attachments toe-mail messages sent to a certain e-mail address and having a certainsubject line (e.g., “Distributed CIPs”), Gateway 104 generates andaddresses such an e-mail message, includes in it, for example, aService-standard note, attaches to it the corresponding incoming CIP,and sends it to User B via the Internet 103. For another example,assuming User B's preferences also indicate that he wishes to receivedistributed CIPs through telephone calls placed to his mobile phone atthe number he specified, Gateway 104 may initiate a call to such mobilephone and, after a connection is established, either by User B'sanswering the call or by connection to the his data-enabled voicemailservice or answering machine, Gateway 104 may transmit a short automatedvoice message indicating that the Service is sending a distributed CIPand then upload the corresponding incoming CIP for transmission oversuch connection via Networks 105. Gateway 104 may send distributed CIPsto recipients via the Internet 103 and/or Networks 105 through otherinternet or other communications services, in a manner analogous tothose described herein for e-mail and telephone services.

Finally, in Step 8, referring still to FIGS. 1 and 11, User B maydownload the corresponding incoming CIP to one or more of his otherDevices 106, as described above. If the corresponding incoming CIP is anupdated CIP, then, on those Devices 106 on which the outdated CIP waspreviously saved, the updated CIP overwrites the outdated CIP (where thecorrespondence between the outdated CIP and updated CIP is establishedby their matching Codes 3011 and 3012, and where the updated CIP'spreference over the outdated CIP is established by the stepped up CIPVersion Code 3013 in the updated CIP).

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also enable, and a user may alsoemploy, other automatic portability processes (some of which arediscussed below), either as alternatives or supplements to the preferredprocess (where certain of the “other” automatic portability processesare analogous to certain of the “other” automatic storage processesdescribed above, and are therefore not repeated here). For example, in amanner analogous to that described above for the preferred automaticportability process (either apart from or in conjunction with suchprocess), the Service may, for each Return CIP, distribute thecorresponding incoming CIP (or a “Clearing CIP,” described below) to oneor more Distributors 608 (e.g., AOL, where User B may maintain anon-line address book), in accordance with the User B's preferences andvia the connection between the Service and each such distributor. WhereCIPs are saved at such a distributor and/or such a distributor isequipped with a Software Module, the functionality of the address bookand/or other application software at such distributor may also beenhanced (as described above for device-based address books and/or otherapplication software). For another example, for each Return CIP, if theprevailing preference for the corresponding incoming CIP indicates thatUser B does not want the corresponding incoming CIP distributed to hisother Device(s) 106, then, for such corresponding incoming CIP, theService may include in the preferred process a process for clearing suchCIP (or any other CIP having the same Codes 3011 and 3012) from User B'sother Device(s) 106, as shown in FIG. 12A. Preferably, the Serviceenables a user to set General and/or Specific Preferences (including ina Return CIP, as shown in FIG. 11) concerning whether and/or how hewishes the Service to perform this clearing process in his behalf; and,in Step 5 as shown in FIG. 12A, in compiling User B's preferences and ifnecessary, Database 101 also compiles his preferences concerning thisclearing process. If Database 101 determines that User B wants thecorresponding incoming CIP cleared from his other Device(s) 106, thenthe process continues with Step 6A. In Step 6A, Database 101 creates a“Clearing CIP,” also a software file, containing (1) Codes 7011 and 7012from the Return CIP, and (2) instructions directing that any CIP havingCodes 3011 and 3012 the same as, respectively, Codes 7011 and 7012 inthe Clearing CIP, be erased from the device to which the Clearing CIP isdownloaded. In Steps 7A and 8A, Database 101 delivers the Clearing CIPand User B's preferences to Gateway 104 and Gateway 104 distributes theClearing CIP to User B's other Device(s) 106, all in a manner analogousto that described above for Steps 6 and 7 shown in FIG. 12. If, in theoverall process shown in FIG. 12A, Database 101 processes more than oneReturn CIP, then, in Steps 7 and/or 8A, each communication from Gateway104 to User B may include within it one or more Clearing CIPs, one ormore corresponding incoming CIPs, or a combination of both. The Servicemay enable a user to indicate, in his preferences, that anycommunication to him from Gateway 104 including within it a Clearing CIPalso include a notice of that fact (e.g., by including “Clearing CIPs”in an e-mail subject line). In Step 9A, User B may download a ClearingCIP to a Device 106 (in a manner analogous to that described above fordownloading an incoming CIP), where any CIP having the specified Codes3011 and 3012 is erased from the device and where the Clearing CIP isdiscarded (i.e., it is not stored on the device and it does not causethe creation of a Return CIP). In embodiments that include this clearingprocess, a Return CIP may be created and stored on User B's deviceduring downloading of the incoming CIP even if, during such downloading,he sets Specific Preferences indicating that he wants neither databasestorage nor distribution of the corresponding incoming CIP. For anotherexample, where a Return CIP includes supplementary information and theService is to distribute the corresponding incoming CIP to User B'sother Devices 106 and/or Distributors 608, the Service may extract fromthe Return CIP certain of such supplementary information and distributeit together with the corresponding incoming CIP to such devices and/ordistributors, where such information may be stored as corresponding tothe corresponding incoming CIP. For another example, referring to FIG.12, where (e.g., according to User B's preferences) the Service is todistribute corresponding incoming CIPs to User B only in batches of, forexample, ten or more, then Database 101 may maintain for User Badditional storage space for temporarily storing corresponding incomingCIPs retrieved in Step 6, but not delivered to Gateway 104 because thenumber of such CIPs plus the number of such CIPs previously stored insuch storage space, if any, did not total ten or more. In Step 6 of anylater run through the process for User B (on additional uploaded ReturnCIPs), Database 101 may retrieve the temporarily-stored CIPs from suchstorage space and deliver them to Gateway 104 together with the CIPs (ifany) newly retrieved from Storage Space 1011, if the number oftemporarily-stored CIPs plus the number of newly-retrieved CIPs totalsten or more. For another example, in embodiments where the downloadingof a CIP to a user's Devices 106 may involve a download routine enablinga user to accept or affirmatively reject a CIP presented for downloadingto such a device, in Step 6 of FIG. 12 (and/or Step 6A of FIG. 12A),Database 101 may enable in the corresponding incoming CIP a “treat as apre-accepted CIP” toggle instruction (or, in a Clearing CIP, enable ananalogous instruction) in order to streamline or bypass such a downloadroutine.

For still another example, System 10 (and/or System 60) may includemeans for avoiding or minimizing Gateway 104's distributing in Step 7(or Step 8A) of a corresponding incoming CIP (or Clearing CIP) to adevice (or distributor) to which the corresponding incoming CIP wasalready presented for downloading—for example, the Device 106 that UserB is using to engage the Service and from which the Return CIP wasuploaded to the Service. That is, for example, the Service may seek todetermine which (if any) of User B's registered Devices 106 he is usingto engage the Service—where, in Step 3, the Service may automaticallydetect from the device in use information sufficient to make thatdetermination, in Step 4, the Service may prompt User B to identify thedevice in use, and/or, in Step 4, the Service may extract from theReturn CIP uploaded from the device in use a “device identifier.” Where,as described above, the Service may assign to each of a user'sregistered Devices 106 a distinct number, the Software Module on eachsuch device may have registered within it the number assigned to thatdevice. When a user downloads an incoming CIP to one such device and aReturn CIP is created and stored thereon, the Software Module mayinclude the assigned number in the Return CIP as a device identifier.Therefore, for example, if a corresponding incoming CIP is to bedistributed to User B, then, in Step 5 (prior to delivering User B'spreferences to Gateway 104), Database 101 may remove from User B'spreferences (if present in the first place) the means for communicatingwith the device identified by the device identifier or otherwise, unlesssuch means is the same means for communicating with other of hisregistered Devices 106. Similarly, if, as described above, the Servicemaintains for each user a distribution log and the correspondingincoming CIP appears in the log, then, the Service may not in thisprocess distribute such CIP to the device(s) identified in the log forsuch CIP. For example, if, in Step 6 of the preferred automatic updateprocess shown in FIG. 7 (and according to User B's preferences), theService sent User A's updated CIP to User B via a single communication(e.g., a single e-mail) where such communication is the listed means forcommunicating with two of User B's registered Devices 106 (e.g., he mayaccess that e-mail through both his desktop and laptop computers), then,the Service may list User A's updated CIP in User B's distribution logand identify for such CIP both such devices. If the Return CIP for UserA's updated CIP is later uploaded to the Service from User B's desktopcomputer and the prevailing preference calls for distribution of thecorresponding incoming CIP in this process, then, the Service may notdistribute such CIP to either his desktop computer or laptop computer,but the Service may distribute such CIP to other of his registeredDevices 106 (if any). Preferably, where a Return CIP is created on adevice upon the downloading to such device of an incoming CIP notcontaining, for example, contact information data, such Return CIP mayalso include an “indicator” of that fact. That is, for example, if UserB engages the Service and uploads a Return CIP including such anindicator, then the Service may distribute the corresponding CIP (nowcontaining, for example, contact information data) to the device in use(irrespective of a device identifier, if any, in such Return CIP) and/orpresent the corresponding CIP for downloading to the device in use whileUser B is engaging the Service. For another example, referring to FIG.12A, System 10 (and/or System 60) may include means for avoiding orminimizing the distribution of Clearing CIPs to devices (ordistributors) on which corresponding incoming CIPs were not previouslysaved. That is, for example, Database 101 may be programmed to makecertain assumptions concerning whether a corresponding incoming CIP isor is not already saved on a particular device—and, if assumed such CIPis not saved on a particular device, not distribute a Clearing CIP tosuch device—where Database 101 may derive information from, among otherthings, the user's Master Contact List, preferences, distribution log,“log of unresolved CIPs” (described below), and/or “log of resolvedCIPs” (also described below).

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also include means for avoiding orminimizing the unnecessary creation and/or temporary storage, on auser's Device 106 (and/or at a user's Distributor 608), of Return CIPs(some of which means were previously described above, e.g., inconnection with a user's saving his outgoing CIPs on his own Device(s)106, and therefore are not repeated here). For example, in Step 6 of thepreferred automatic portability process shown in FIG. 12, Database 101may, after retrieving a corresponding incoming CIP but prior todelivering it to Gateway 104, enable in the retrieved CIP (but not inthe MCIP in Storage Space 1011 from which was copied the retrieved CIP)a “do not create a Return CIP” toggle instruction, such that a ReturnCIP is not created upon the downloading of the corresponding incomingCIP to User B's other registered Device(s) 106 (and/or Distributor(s)608) in Step 8. (If, for example, one of User B's other registeredDevices 106 to which such corresponding incoming CIP is to bedistributed is a device of another user [e.g., User B's regionalmanager's desktop computer], then, with respect to that device, Database101 may not enable such instruction in such corresponding incoming CIP.)As such instruction is a toggle instruction (described above), duringdownloading of such CIP to User B's other Device(s) 106 (where no ReturnCIP is created), the instruction is toggled so that, for example, insuch CIP as stored on such device(s), such instruction is againdisabled. Thus, for example, if User B later forwards (i.e., transfers)such incoming CIP to another user and such other user downloads it toone of his Devices 106, a Return CIP may be created and temporarilystored on such other user's device. For another example, if an incomingCIP is stored on one of a user's Devices 106 (on which a correspondingReturn CIP was already created and temporarily stored) and that user“transfers” such incoming CIP to another of his own such devices(including, e.g., in a device-to-device synchronization process), then,where the creation of a corresponding Return CIP on the receiving deviceis not desired, the user may (in certain embodiments), for example, seta preference in the Software Module on the receiving device temporarilydisabling the creation of Return CIPs and/or himself enable in theincoming CIP on the sending device a “do not create a Return CIP” toggleinstruction. The Software Module on one or more of a user's Devices 106may also be programmed such that, in a device-to-device synchronizationprocess, the creation of Return CIPs is automatically disabled (withoutthe user's having to set a preference to that effect). For anotherexample, the Software Module on certain Devices 106 (for example, thosein Category 1064) may be programmed, or have a preference set in it,such that is does not create a Return CIP during the downloading of anyoutgoing and/or incoming CIP. For another example, if, duringdownloading of an incoming CIP to a Device 106, the Software Moduledetermines that the same CIP is already saved on such device, then, theSoftware Module may inform the user of that fact and query the userwhether he wishes that a corresponding Return CIP then be created andtemporarily stored on such device. For another example, if, on aparticular Device 106, a Return CIP is created (a “new” Return CIP),then, in temporarily storing such Return CIP on such device, theSoftware Module may first scan the other Return CIPs (if any) at thattime stored on such device, and, if another such Return CIP contains thesame Codes 7011, 7012, and 7013 as those in the new Return CIP (an “old”Return CIP), then the Software Module may temporarily store such newReturn CIP on such device by overwriting such old Return CIP.

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also include means for avoiding orminimizing to the unnecessary processing, at the Service (e.g., asdescribed above in the preferred automatic storage process and/or in thepreferred automatic portability process), of Return CIPs uploaded to theService from a user's Device(s) 106 (and/or Distributor(s) 608) (some ofwhich means were previously described above and therefore are notrepeated here). For example, if a user has stored on one of hisregistered Devices 106 a Return CIP corresponding to one of his ownoutgoing CIPs (an unnecessary Return CIP) and such Return CIP isuploaded to the Service for would-be processing with respect to suchuser, then, because such Return CIP contains a Code 7011 the same assuch user's User Identification Code 3011, the Service may discard suchReturn CIP without processing it (e.g., without storing thecorresponding CIP [i.e., the user's own outgoing CIP] in his MasterContact List and/or distributing it to his other registered Device(s)106). For another example, the Service may maintain and store inDatabase 101, for each user, a “log of resolved CIPs,” which logs eachReturn CIP that has been uploaded to, and processed by, the Service withrespect to such user (even if, in processing such Return CIP, theService did not store the corresponding CIP in the user's Master ContactList or distribute it to his other Devices 106 or Distributors 608);where such log also logs, by correspondence with the logged Return CIPs,the corresponding CIPs (or “resolved CIPs”). Then, upon the uploading tothe Service of a Return CIP for would-be processing with respect to UserB, Database 101 may scan the already-processed Return CIPs in User B'slog of resolved CIPs to determine whether the Service has alreadyprocessed a Return CIP identical (at least in most respects) to thenewly-uploaded Return CIP (e.g., a Return CIP containing the same Codes7011, 7012, and 7013 as the newly-uploaded Return CIP, as well as, incertain embodiments, the same Specific Preferences and/or supplementaryinformation, if any). (For these purposes, the Return CIPs areconsidered identical even if, for example, the device identifiers, ifany, contained in them are different.) If such an already-processedReturn CIP is found, then the Service may discard the newly-uploadedReturn CIP without processing it. The Service may log already-processedReturn CIPs in a user's log of resolved CIPs either permanently ortemporarily (e.g., for a set period of time, until such user nextchanges his Device Information and/or General Preferences, or, withrespect to a particular Return CIP in the log, until such user nextchanges his Specific Preferences for the corresponding CIP).

The Service may also maintain and store in Database 101, for each user,a “log of unresolved CIPs,” which logs each incoming CIP that theService has sent (through any of the processes described herein) to anyof such user's registered Devices 106 and/or Distributors 608, but forwhich the Service has not processed a corresponding Return CIP withrespect to such user. For example, assume that, in Step 6 of thepreferred automatic update process as shown in FIG. 7, the Service sendsUser A's updated CIP to User B via e-mail directed to his mobile phone(one of User B's four registered Devices 106) and logs such CIP in UserB's log of unresolved CIPs; assume also that, in Step 8, User Bdownloads the updated CIP to his mobile phone (on which is created andtemporarily stored a corresponding Return CIP), but he next engages theService using his desktop computer. In such case, while User B isengaging the Service, the Service may advise him (e.g., through hisrunning report) that such CIP is in his log of unresolved CIPs andpresent him the opportunity to attend to it. If User B elects to do so,he may, for example, download such CIP to his device in use and/or setSpecific Preferences for it; upon which, the Service may (but need not)create for such CIP a corresponding Return CIP and process such ReturnCIP with respect to User B in accordance with User B's prevailingpreferences (e.g., in the preferred automatic storage process and/or inthe preferred automatic portability process); and, thereafter, theService may remove such CIP from User B's log of unresolved CIPs and logsuch Return CIP in User B's log of resolved CIPs. Assuming User B wishesto download the updated CIP to his device in use while he is engagingthe Service and his preferences indicate he wants both storage anddistribution of it, then the Service may present the updated CIP fordownloading to User B's desktop computer (e.g., through Interface 102via the Internet 103), store the CIP in his Master Contact List, anddistribute the CIP to his other two registered Devices 106 (i.e., otherthan his mobile phone and desktop computer), where it may enable in thedistributed CIP a “do not create a Return CIP” toggle instruction. Ifthe corresponding Return CIP created and temporarily stored on User B'smobile phone is at some time thereafter uploaded to the Service, theService may, with reference to User B's log of resolved CIPs, discardand not process it.

In other cases as well, for incoming CIPs received by a user through theService—as in, for example, Transfer Type 5, Transfer Type 6, thepreferred automatic update process, the preferred automatic deliveryprocess, or the preferred automatic customization process—the Servicemay enable, and the recipient may elect (in his preferences orotherwise), that the received incoming CIP be stored (or not) in therecipient's Master Contact List (as in, e.g., the preferred automaticstorage process) and/or distributed (or not) to his registered Devices106 or Distributors 608 (as in, e.g., the preferred automaticportability process), without the uploading to the Service of acorresponding Return CIP from any of the recipient's Devices 106 orDistributors 608. That is, for example, for Transfer Type 5, if a useris using a Device 106 in Category 1061 to search the Directory throughInterface 102 via the Internet 103, and if such user so elects, then,upon his clicking on the “download” command to download to his device inuse an incoming CIP appearing in the search results, the Service mayenable such user to set certain Specific Preferences for such incomingCIP, after which the Service may (but need not) create a correspondingReturn CIP for such incoming CIP and process such Return CIP withrespect to such user in accordance with such user's prevailingpreferences (e.g., store the incoming CIP in his Master Contact List anddistribute it to his other Devices 106 and/or Distributors 608). In suchcase, for example, the Service may enable in the incoming CIP to bedownloaded to the device in use and/or in the incoming CIP(s) to bedistributed to the other Devices 106 or Distributors 608, a “do notcreate a Return CIP” toggle instruction; and, the Service may log suchcorresponding Return CIP in the log of resolved CIPs.

In System 10 (and/or System 60), as shown in FIGS. 1-1B, even if auser's outgoing and/or incoming CIPs may not be available on (e.g.,saved on) one or more of his Devices 106, such user's outgoing and/orincoming CIPs may be accessible through one or more of such devices(including non-registered Devices 106, such as a friend's mobile phone).For example, a user may, using a Device 106, access his Master ContactList by engaging the Service, as described above, by interacting withthe Service through Interface 102 via the Internet 103 and/or bycommunicating with the Service through Gateway 104 via the Internet 103and/or Networks 105. When accessing his Master Contact List byinteracting with the Service through Interface 102, a user may, amongother things, retrieve from it incoming CIPs in a manner analogous tothat described above for retrieving incoming CIPs from the Directory inTransfer Type 5 (described above). When accessing his Master ContactList by communicating with the Service through Gateway 104, a user may,among other things, retrieve from it incoming CIPs in a manner analogousto that described above for retrieving incoming CIPs from the Directoryin Transfer Type 6 (also described above). In either case, a user mayretrieve from his Master Contact List any CIP stored therein, even ifsuch CIP is not compiled in the Service's Directory. In certain cases, auser may retrieve from his Master Contact List an incoming CIP throughvoice activation—that is, by stating orally a voice activation stamppreviously recorded for a particular incoming CIP (or a particular fieldin a particular incoming CIP) and stored in his Master Contact List ascorresponding to the incoming CIP, as described above.

Automatic Radial Mining Processes

In System 10 (and/or System 60), as shown in FIGS. 1-1B, contactinformation may be mined to yield for one user intelligence concerninghis relations to other users by a variety of methods, including, withoutlimitation, those discussed below.

Such automatic radial mining processes, performed in behalf of (at leastpartially) one user, may involve the Service's mining of informationcontained in other users' Storage Spaces 1012 in Database 101 (i.e.,other users' Master Contact Lists). For example, System 10 may enable,and such user may employ, a “first preferred” radial mining processinvolving the multiple steps shown in FIG. 13. In the discussion of thefirst process and referring to FIG. 1, assume User A “knows of” User B(e.g., User B is a prospective client of User A), but User A does not“know” User B; therefore, User A is seeking one or more other users toassist in making a personal introduction to User B and/or a series ofpersonal introductions culminating in a personal introduction to User B.

Referring additionally to FIG. 13, in Step 1, User A uses any Device 106in Category 1061 to engage the Service through Interface 102 via theInternet 103, where he is presented with, for example, Display Screen 20shown in FIG. 2. By, for example, clicking on “Mining Processes” Block203, User A is presented with another screen (or series of screens) fromwhich he may select, and command the Service to commence, this firstprocess. As mentioned above, the Service may enable a user to setGeneral and/or Specific Preferences preventing the Service's mining ofinformation contained in the CIPs stored in his Master Contact List inbehalf of (at least partially) another user, for each process (includingthis process) or all processes in which such mining is involved. If theService enables the setting of such preferences, then it may also, forexample, for each user who has set such preferences for this process(and for a period of time after such user's removal of such preferences)prohibit such user from initiating this process in his own behalf. Ifsuch were the case, then, upon User A's selection of this process,Interface 102 may deliver to Database 101 a request to determine whetherUser A has set such preferences, and, if such preferences are found, theService may inform User A that he is prohibited from initiating thisprocess. Here, however, it is assumed either that the Service has notenabled the setting of such preferences or that User A (though enabled)has not set such preferences.

In Step 2, the Service instructs User A to select the “target” CIP(s);that is, the outgoing CIP(s) of the user (e.g., User B) to whom hewishes to establish a link through one or more other users. The Serviceagain prompts User A through the process of selecting the target CIP(s),presenting him the opportunity, for example, to select User B's CIP(s)from his Master Contact List and, if not already present in the MasterContact List, to fetch and then select User B's CIP(s) (if compiled inthe Directory) through Transfer Type 5 (with or without downloading suchCIP(s) to User A's device in use). User A may select any one or more ofUser B's outgoing CIPs; for example, if User A wishes to identify a“final link” (defined below) who is either a personal link or aprofessional link to User B, or both, he may select both User B'spersonal and professional CIPs. Assume User A selects both User B'spersonal CIP (which he fetched through Transfer Type 5) and professionalCIP (which he fetched from User B's company's web site and uploaded tohis Master Contact List as described above); moreover, assume User Ainforms the Service that he wishes to identify a final link who is botha personal and professional link to User B.

The Service may (but need not) enable a user to set General and/orSpecific Preferences preventing one or more of his outgoing CIPs frombeing used as a target CIP in this process. If such is the case, then,following User A's selection of User B's CIPs as target CIPs and inresponse to a request from Interface 102, Database 101 may extract theCodes 3011 and 3012 from the selected CIPs, use the Code 3011 to locateUser B's Storage Space 1011 shown in FIG. 1A, retrieve User B's GeneralPreferences, use in addition the Codes 3012 to identify the selectedCIPs in User B's Storage Space 1011, retrieve the Specific Preferences(if any) for each of the selected CIPs, and compare the General andSpecific Preferences to determine User B's prevailing preference foreach of the selected CIPs. If, for example, the prevailing preferencefor either of the selected CIPs prevents its use as a target CIP, thenthe Service may inform User A that the process (as selected) may not goforward. (Analogous to that mentioned above, due to User B's setting ofpreferences preventing the use of his outgoing CIPs as target CIPs inthis process, the Service may prohibit User B from initiating thisprocess.) Here, however, it is assumed either that the Service has notenabled the setting of such preferences or that User B (though enabled)has not set such preferences.

In Step 3, referring still to FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B, and 12, the Serviceinstructs User A to select the “first-degree users”; that is, theuser(s) whose outgoing CIPs are stored as incoming CIPs in User A'sMaster Contact List and through whom he wishes to establish a link toUser B. The Service again prompts User A through the process ofselecting the first-degree users, presenting him the opportunity, forexample, to view and select from his Master Contact in a manneranalogous to that described above for the first selection process ofStep 3 of the preferred automatic update process, shown in FIG. 7. TheService may impose a limit on the numbers of users User A may select asfirst-degree users; otherwise, User A may select all users whoseoutgoing CIPs are stored in his Master Contact List, subject to otherservice restrictions (if any) that the Service may impose on thisselection process. That is, the Service may disable User A's selectionof CIPs in his Master Contact List that do not comply with any suchservice restrictions. For example, the Service may disable the selectionof CIPs of business users, on the assumption that business users wouldnot serve to establish the desired link from one individual user (UserA) to another individual user (User B); and where, for example, asexplained above, the Codes 3011 in the CIPs (including the targetCIP(s)) may include within them a sub-code indicating the type of user(individual or business) to whom a CIP corresponds. For another example,on a more-narrow assumption, the Service may disable the selection ofany CIP of a business user that does not include the name of anindividual “contact person” in the appropriate field in, for example,Block 302 of sample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3. User A may himself excludefrom his selection the outgoing CIPs of single users and/or groups ofusers whom he believes would not serve to establish the desired link toUser B and/or whom he would not want to receive a message in theService's reporting of positive results (if the Service is to generateand deliver such messages, as described below for Step 4A). For example,User A may exclude from his selection the CIPs of individual users whomhe considers to be only casual acquaintances and whom he would not becomfortable asking for an introduction to User B (even if such userswere determined to be links to User B). For another example, User A mayexclude from his selection the CIPs of the group of business users whoseCIPs he maintains in a folder called “My Favorite Restaurants.” In thisfirst process, Database 101 searches, if necessary, for a “CIP Match”(defined below) in the Master Contact Lists of up to the “Nth-degreeusers,” where “N” is defined either by the Service or by the userinitiating this process within parameters defined by the Service (e.g.,“N may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6”). It is assumed herein that N=6. Afterhis selection of first-degree users is completed, User A commands theService to conduct its search.

In Step 4, Interface 102 delivers User A's command (which, among otherthings, identifies the target CIP(s)) and his selection to Database 101,which may then compile a “final list” of first-degree users and searchfor a CIP Match in the Master Contact Lists of such users. In order tocompile the final list, Database 101 may first extract the UserIdentification Code 3011 from each of the CIPs in User A's MasterContact List that User A selected in Step 3, creating an “interim list”of first-degree users (where multiple entries of the same Code 3011, ifany, are merged into a single entry). For each of the users whose Code3011 is on the interim list, Database 101 may then retrieve and reviewhis General and/or Specific Preferences concerning whether he permitshis selection as a “first-degree user” (or, as explained below, a“second-degree user,” “third-degree user,” and so on) in this process asinitiated by User A, creating the final list by removing from theinterim list the Code 3011 of each user who has set preferencesprohibiting such selection. Such General Preferences may involve ageneral prohibition against such selection for this first process in allcases or in certain cases. Such certain cases may include, for example,that where the process as initiated by a user involves a target CIP thatis a personal CIP. Such certain cases may also include, for example,that where a CIP of the user initiating the process is not stored in theMaster Contact List of the would-be first-degree user (and/or, inconnection with the review of the General Preferences of would-besecond-degree users [and so on], as explained below, that where a CIP ofthe first-degree user establishing the link to the would-besecond-degree user is not stored in the Master Contact List of thewould-be second-degree user). In the latter case, for each would-befirst-degree user who has set such General Preference, Database 101 mayuse User A's User Identification Code 3011 to search for any of User A'sCIPs in such user's Master Contact List and, if no such CIP is found,remove such user's Code 3011 from the interim list. The Service may alsoenable a user to set Specific Preferences for the CIPs in his MasterContact List overriding any general prohibition against such selection.That is, for example, a user whose General Preferences indicate ageneral prohibition against such selection may set Specific Preferencesfor the CIPs of his close friends and business colleagues indicatingthat he permits his selection as a first-degree user in this processwhere initiated by any of such other users (and/or, he permits hisselection as a second-degree user [and so on] where any of such otherusers is the first-degree user establishing the link to him as awould-be second-degree user). In such case, for each would-befirst-degree user whose General Preferences indicate a generalprohibition against such selection, Database 101 may use User A's UserIdentification Code 3011 to search for any of User A's CIPs in suchuser's Master Contact List; and, if no such CIP is found or such CIPsare found but such Specific Preferences are not set for them, removesuch user's Code 3011 from the interim list.

Database 101 may then search for a CIP Match in the Master Contact Listsof the first-degree users (whose User Identification Codes 3011 are onthe final list). For each such user, Database 101 uses his Code 3011 tolocate his Storage Space 1012 shown in FIG. 1A, in which is stored hisMaster Contact List. Within the Master Contact List, Database 101searches for the target CIP(s); that is, for each target CIP, Database101 searches for a CIP having the same Codes 3011 and 3012 as those inthe target CIP. (In certain embodiments, Database 101 may search for aCIP having the same Code 3011 as the target CIP, without reference toCode 3012, or, Database 101 may search for a CIP having not only thesame Codes 3011 and 3012, but also the same CIP Version Code 3013, asthose in the target CIP.) For each first-degree user, a “CIP Match”requires that (1) the target CIP(s) are found in his Master Contact Listin the manner defined by the user initiating this process (an “interim”CIP Match), and (2) the first-degree user has not set SpecificPreferences for the target CIP(s) prohibiting the finding of a CIP Matchin this process as defined by the user initiating this process. That is,for example, in this process as defined by User A, a CIP Match firstrequires that both of the target CIPs (i.e., User B's personal CIP andprofessional CIP) be found in a first-degree user's Master Contact List.If none is found, or only one of the two is found, then there is no CIPMatch. For each first-degree user in whose Master Contact List both ofthe target CIPs are found (i.e., where there is an interim CIP Match),Database 101 may then retrieve such first-degree user's SpecificPreferences (if any) for such target CIPs to determine whether such usernevertheless prohibits the finding of a CIP Match in this process asdefined by User A. That is, for example, if such first-degree user hasset a Specific Preference for User B's personal CIP prohibiting themining of such CIP in such user's Master Contact List in this firstprocess, then there is no CIP Match (even if such user has set no suchSpecific Preference for User B's professional CIP). Database 101 thussearches for a CIP Match with respect to all of the first-degree users.If Database 101 determines there is a CIP Match with respect to one ormore of the first-degree users, the process continues with Step 4A shownin FIG. 13 (discussed immediately below). If Database 101 determinesthere is no CIP Match with respect to any of the first-degree users andN≠1, the process continues with Step 5 shown in FIG. 13 (also discussedbelow).

In Step 4A, referring to FIGS. 1 and 12, Database 101 may generate forUser A a report of positive results, which report may be delivered, forexample, through Interface 102 to User A while he is still engaging theService. The report may state, among other things, the number of otherusers in whose Master Contact Lists a CIP Match was found—each such usera “final link”—and the degrees of separation between User A and User B(in this case, one degree of separation). The report may also identifyeach final link—and, for each final link, the “interim link(s)” (definedbelow), if any—either by name alone or otherwise (including by theprovision of one or more CIPs), facilitating User A's contacting one ormore of such users to assist in making a personal introduction to User Band/or a series of personal introductions culminating in a personalintroduction to User B. For example, assuming in this case that User Cis a final link, the report to User A may state that “User C (in yourMaster Contact List) appears to have both a personal and a professionalrelationship with User B.” The Service may enable a user, as a would-befinal link and/or interim link, to set preferences (“identitypreferences”) restricting the disclosure of his identity in such areport to another. For that reason and others, Database 101 may alsogenerate appropriate messages for inclusion in the running reports ofeach of the final links and/or interim links (as well as, perhaps, otherusers, e.g., those in whose Master Contact Lists an interim CIP Matchwas found but whose Specific Preferences prohibited a CIP Match). Suchmessages may identify User A, User B, and/or other final/interim links,facilitating the links' contacting User A and/or other links to assistin making a personal introduction to User B and/or a series of personalintroductions culminating in a personal introduction to User B. Forexample, assuming again User C is a final link, the message to User Cmay state that “User A will be interested in the fact you appear to haveboth a personal and a professional relationship with User B (though UserA has not been informed of that fact); please contact User A if you arewilling and able to make an introduction for him to User B.” The Servicemay also enable a user to set preferences (also “identity preferences”)restricting the disclosure of his identity in such messages. Preferably,if the Service enables, in whole or in part, either or both of theabove-described identity preferences, it does so in a manner thatassures that, in the report to User A and/or the messages to thefinal/interim links, sufficient identity information is disclosed tofacilitate such users' contacting other such users to assist in makingthe above-described introduction(s). That is, preferably, the report andmessages, separately or taken together, disclose each complete chain oflinks between User A and User B; where, for cases involving two or moredegrees of separation between User A and User B, each report and/ormessage may disclose either the complete chain of links or only a partof the chain of links (where the complete chain of links is establishedby the report and/or messages taken together).

In Step 5 (reached if Database 101 determines there is no CIP Match withrespect to any of the first-degree users and N≠1), Database 101 maycompile a final list of second-degree users and search for a CIP Matchin the Master Contact Lists of such users. In order to compile the finallist, Database 101 may first review the CIPs in each first-degree user'sMaster Contact List for compliance with service restrictions (if any)imposed by the Service on the “selection” of second-degree users,extracting the User Identification Code 3011 from each of the complyingCIPs to create, for each first-degree user, a “first interim list” ofsecond-degree users (where multiple entries of the same Code 3011, ifany, are merged into a single entry). The service restrictions (if any)in this Step 5 may be, in whole or in part, the same as or differentfrom (but analogous to) those described above as examples in Step 3 (aswell as those employed in the compilation, if necessary, of the finallists of third-degree users, fourth-degree users, and so on); and, theservice restrictions (if any) in this Step 5 may depend upon choicesmade by User A in Steps 2 and/or 3. For example, if User A had selectedby choice in Step 3 only those users for whom he had stored in hisMaster Contact List both a personal CIP (having a CIP Type Code 3014 of“01”) and a professional CIP (having a Code 3014 of “02”), then, in thisStep 5, Database 101 may include in a particular first interim list onlythe Codes 3011 of the users for whom a particular first-degree user hasstored in his Master Contact List both a personal CIP and a professionalCIP—even though such service restriction was not present in Step 3.Database 101 may then create a “second interim list” of second-degreeusers by combining into a single list the Codes 3011 on all of thefirst-degree users' first interim lists (where multiple entries of thesame Code 3011, if any, are merged into a single entry). Database 101may add to the second interim list, for each Code 3011 of a would-besecond-degree user on the list, a “first-degree identity tracker”listing the Code(s) 3011 of the first-degree user(s) on whose firstinterim list(s) the corresponding Code 3011 of the would-besecond-degree user appeared. For each of the would-be second-degreeusers whose Code 3011 is on the second interim list, Database 101 maythen retrieve and review his General and/or Specific Preferencesconcerning whether he permits his selection as a second-degree user inthis process as initiated by User A, creating the final list by removingfrom the second interim list the Code 3011 (and the correspondingfirst-degree identity tracker(s)) of each user who has set preferencesprohibiting such selection (all in a manner analogous to that describedabove for Step 4). For each of the second-degree users (whose UserIdentification Codes 3011 are on the final list), Database 101 may thensearch for a CIP Match in his Master Contact List (all in a manneranalogous to that described above for Step 4). Database 101 thussearches for a CIP Match with respect to all of the second-degree users.If Database 101 determines there is a CIP Match with respect to one ormore of the second-degree users, the process continues with Step 5Ashown in FIG. 13 (discussed immediately below). If Database 101determines there is no CIP Match with respect to any of thesecond-degree users and N≠2, the process continues with Step 6 (alsodiscussed below).

In Step 5A, Database 101 may generate for and deliver to User A a reportof positive results and/or generate for and deliver to other usersappropriate messages (all in a manner analogous to that described abovefor Step 4A). Here, there are two degrees of separation between User Aand User B, and, for each final link there is at least one “interimlink” (in this case, a first-degree user in whose Master Contact wasstored at least one CIP of the final link). For each final link,Database 101 may determine the identity of the interim link(s) in anumber of ways. For example, Database 101 may search for the finallink's User Identification Code 3011 in each of the first interim listsof second-degree users (created in Step 5 for each first-degree user),where each first-degree user in whose first interim list such code isfound is an interim link. For another example, where in Step 5 the finallist of second-degree users includes first-degree identity trackers,Database 101 may extract from the first-degree identity trackercorresponding to the final link's User Identification Code 3011 theCode(s) 3011 of the interim link(s).

In Step 6 (not shown in FIG. 13, but reached if Database 101 determinesthere is no CIP Match with respect to any of the second-degree users andN≠2), Database 101 repeats the process described in Step 5 (with respectto second-degree users) with respect to third-degree users. In compilingthe final list of third-degree users, Database 101 may similarly create,for each second-degree user, a “first interim list” of third-degreeusers; and then similarly create a “second interim list” of third-degreeusers. Database 101 may add to the second interim list, for each UserIdentification Code 3011 of a would-be third-degree user on the list, a“second-degree identity tracker” listing the User Identification Code(s)3011 of the second-degree user(s) on whose first interim list(s) thecorresponding User Identification Code 3011 of the would-be third-degreeuser appeared. Database 101 may also add to the second interim list, foreach User Identification Code 3011 of a second-degree user listed in thesecond-degree identity trackers, the first-degree identity trackercorresponding to such User Identification Code 3011 and retrieved fromthe final list of second-degree users. Database 101 may then similarlycreate the final list of third-degree users and, for each of such users(whose Codes 3011 are on the list), search for a CIP Match in his MasterContact List (all in a manner analogous to that described above for Step5). If Database 101 determines there is a CIP Match with respect to oneor more of the third-degree users, the process continues with Step 6A(not shown in FIG. 13), where the Service reports positive results toUser A and/or the final/interim links (all in a manner analogous to thatdescribed above for Steps 4A and 5A). Here, there are three degrees ofseparation between User A and User B, where, for each final link thereare at least two interim links (one a second-degree user in whose MasterContact List was stored at least one CIP of the final link and the othera first-degree user in whose Master Contact List was stored at least oneCIP of the other interim link). For each final link, Database 101 maydetermine the identities of the interim links by, for example,extracting their User Identification Codes 3011 from the second-degreeidentity tracker (and corresponding first-degree identity tracker(s))corresponding to the final link's User Identification Code 3011 on thefinal list of third-degree users. If Database 101 determines there is noCIP Match with respect to any of the third-degree users, then (assumingstill that N=6), the process continues with Step 7 (for fourth-degreeusers), Step 8 (for fifth-degree users, if a CIP Match is not found inStep 7), and Step 9 (for sixth-degree users, if a CIP Match is not foundin Step 8). In each successive step, Database 101 may compile a finallist of the next-degree users (to which it may add previous-degreeidentity trackers and carry forward even-more-previous-degree identitytrackers) and search for a CIP Match in the Master Contact Lists of suchusers, all in a manner analogous to that described above. If such isfound in any of such steps, the Service may report positive results toUser A and/or the final/interim links, all in a manner analogous to thatdescribed above. If, in Step 9, shown in FIG. 13, where Database 101searches for a CIP Match in the Master Contact Lists of the Nth-degreeusers, no such match is found, then the process continues and ends withStep 9B, where the Service may report negative results to User A.

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also enable, and a user may alsoemploy, other automatic radial mining processes performed in behalf of(at least partially) one user and involving the mining of informationcontained in other users' Master Contact Lists (some of which arediscussed below), either as alternatives or supplements to the firstpreferred process. For example, User A may engage the Service by meansother than that described in connection with Step 1 of the firstprocess; for example, as described above, he may engage the Serviceusing a Device 106 in Category 1063 through Gateway 104 via Networks105, and, by communicating with Gateway 104 (which in turn communicateswith Database 101), he may select target CIPs, select first-degreeusers, receive positive or negative results, and/or otherwise commandthe Service to perform a radial mining process analogous to the firstpreferred process. For another example, whereas in the process shown inFIG. 13 (and assuming positive results) searching ends after Database101 finds the first CIP Match and completes its search for additionalCIP Matches in the Master Contact Lists of the same degree of users inwhich it finds the first CIP Match, searching may either (1) end afterDatabase 101 finds the first CIP Match (without completing its searchfor additional CIP Matches in the Master Contact Lists of the samedegree of users in which it finds the first CIP Match), or (2) end afterDatabase 101 searches for CIP Matches in the Master Contact Lists of alldegrees of users through the Nth-degree users (even if a CIP Match wasfound in the Master Contact Lists of previous-degree users and where, ifmore than one final link, the final links may be from different degreesof users). For another example, in Step 3, the Service may enable User Ato select as a group to be included among the first-degree users thoseusers in whose Master Contact Lists is stored one or more of User A'soutgoing CIPs, even if User A does not have any outgoing CIPs of suchother users in his Master Contact List, in a manner analogous to thatdescribed above for the second selection process in Step 3 of thepreferred automatic update process shown in FIG. 7. If such were thecase, and User A selected such group of users, Database 101 may, as partof Step 4, search Storage Spaces 1012 of all other users for CIPs havingUser A's User Identification Code 3011 in order to determine the UserIdentification Code 3011 of each user in such group of users (this initself an automatic radial mining process), in a manner analogous tothat described above for Step 4 of the preferred automatic updateprocess shown in FIG. 7. The Service may “select” analogous groups ofusers in its compiling the final list of second-degree users,third-degree users, and so on. Correspondingly, the Service may enableusers to set preferences concerning their possible selection in thismanner as first-degree users (and/or second-degree users, and so on),also in a manner analogous to that described above for Step 4 of thepreferred automatic update process shown in FIG. 7. For another example,the Service may, as to certain service restrictions that it may imposein its “selection” of second-degree users (and/or third-degree users,and so on), enable a user initiating this process to choose whether eachsuch service restriction is to be applied by Database 101 in compilingthe final lists of such users. For another example, Database 101 maysearch the Master Contact Lists of all users for one of User B's CIPs,compile a list of the User Identification Codes 3011 of all such usershaving in their Master Contact Lists one of User B's CIPs, and comparesuch list against a list of the User Identification Codes 3011 of allCIPs in User A's Master Contact List to identify possible commonacquaintances between User A and User B. For another example, Database101 may compile a list of the User Identification Codes 3011 of allusers in User B's Master Contact List and compare such list against alist of the User Identification Codes 3011 of all users in User A'sMaster Contact List, again, to identify possible common acquaintancesbetween User A and User B. For another example, whether any of the aboveprocesses as initiated by User A returns positive or negative results,the Service may itself (subject to approval by User A) re-run theprocess (using the same target CIP(s)) on a periodic basis or at anotherappropriate time (even at times when User A is not engaging theService); for example, every week until User A confirms that he hasreceived positive results that served his purpose in initiating theprocess. For any of the above processes, the Service may employ stilladditional means (in addition, e.g., to its system of user preferences,service restrictions, etc.) for delivering positive results that serveUser A's purpose in initiating the process. That is, for example, theService may employ one or more other “trackers”—employed in a manneranalogous to that described above for identity trackers—which may enablethe Service to determine or make assumptions about the type and/orquality of each relationship in a complete chain of links between User Aand User B, and thus, the type and/or quality of each complete chain oflinks as a whole. The Service may employ, for example, “type trackers,”where, for example, in Step 5 of the first preferred process shown inFIG. 13, in creating, for each first degree user, the first interim listof second-degree users, Database 101 may extract from each the complyingCIPs in the first-degree user's Master Contact List not only the UserIdentification Code 3011, but also the CIP Type Code 3014, and thus addto the list one or more such Codes 3014 as corresponding to each Code3011 on the list; then, when adding to the second interim list, for eachCode 3011 of a would-be second-degree user on the list, a first-degreeidentity tracker, Database 101 may also add to the list as afirst-degree type tracker, for each Code 3011 of a first-degree user inthe first-degree identity tracker, the Code(s) 3014 appearing on suchfirst-degree user's first interim list as corresponding to the Code 3011of the would-be second-degree user. Assuming, then, in a chain of linksconstituting a positive result, that User C is the first-degree interimlink and User D is the second-degree interim link, then, in reportingsuch result to User A, the Service may share with User A assumptionsconcerning the type of relationship between Users C and D (as well asbetween each pair of other users in the complete chain of links),characterizing the relationship as, for example, either personal,professional, or both personal and professional. The Service may alsoemploy, for example, “quality trackers,” which may be, for example insimplest form, a single-digit code where “0” indicates a weakrelationship and “1” indicates a strong relationship; and where, againfor example in Step 5 of the first preferred process shown in FIG. 13,Database 101 may add to the second interim list one such code for a Code3011 of a first-degree user in the first-degree identity tracker for aCode 3011 of a would-be second-degree user on the list, as an indicatorof the quality of the relationship between the first-degree user and thewould-be second-degree user. The value of the code so added (e.g.,either “0” or “1”) may be based on an assumption made by the Service,where Database 101 may be programmed to make such an assumption based onone or more pieces of relevant information available to it. Suchrelevant information may include, without limitation, whether or not thewould-be second-degree user also has one or more of the first-degreeuser's CIPs in his Master Contact List; the total number of CIPs of onesuch user in the Master Contact List of the other; the SpecificPreferences (if any) assigned to such CIPs; the amount of time such CIPshave been stored in such Master Contact Lists; the manner in which suchCIPs are categorized in the folders of such Master Contact Lists;whether or not such CIPs are outdated or updated; whether or notsupplementary information (like a voice activation stamp) is stored insuch Master Contact Lists as corresponding to such CIPs; if aspecial-purpose CIP is stored in one user's Storage Space 1011, whetheror not such special-purpose CIP is stored in the other user's MasterContact List; and so on. Information relevant to the making of suchassumptions may also be compiled in users' “user profiles” (describedabove), whether or not such information may also be relevant to otherprocesses for which Database 101 may refer to such profiles. Forexample, where such profiles include users' ages, Database 101 mayassume that a 12-year old user identified as a final link between UsersA and B (e.g., two men in their 50s) would not serve to make the desiredbusiness-related introduction between them, and therefore rank therelationship between such user and User B as “weak” (even though theymay know each other very well). The value of a quality tracker code(e.g., either “0” or “1”) may also be based on a determination made bythe Service, where such determination is based on information provideddirectly by a user. That is, for example, the Service may enable eachuser to himself provide a rank (e.g., “weak” or “strong”), for each CIPin his Master Contact List, concerning the quality of his relationshipwith the user corresponding to such CIP, where such rank may be codedand stored as a quality tracker in such user's Master Contact List ascorresponding to such CIP, and where, if such quality tracker is sostored, it may be used in the place of a quality tracker based on anassumption made by the Service (obviating the need for Database 101 tomake such assumption). Assuming, again, in a chain of links constitutinga positive result, that User C is the first-degree interim link and UserD is the second-degree interim link, then, in reporting such result toUser A, the Service may share with User A information (either anassumption or a determination) concerning the quality of relationshipbetween Users C and D (“weak” or “strong”), as well as between each pairof other users in the complete chain of links. Theassumption/determination made, for example, in Step 5 of the firstpreferred process shown in FIG. 13, concerning the quality ofrelationship between a first-degree user and a would-be second-degreeuser, may be used alternatively as a basis for removing the Code 3011 ofsuch would-be second-degree user from the second interim list (where,e.g., the relationship is “weak”). As an alternative to the Service'smaking such assumptions/determinations and adding quality trackers tothe second interim list in, for example, Step 5 of the first preferredprocess shown in FIG. 13, the Service may instead perform such processto completion and, assuming positive results, in the step in which itreports positive results (but prior to so reporting), make suchassumptions/determinations only with respect to each pair of users ineach complete chain of links constituting a positive result.

Automatic radial mining processes in behalf of (at least partially) oneuser and involving mining of information contained in other users'Master Contact Lists may be performed for personal and/or professionalpurposes in addition to that used hereinabove as an example to assist indescribing such processes. For example, assuming User A is a journalistin Philadelphia and he has been invited to attend that city's journalismawards dinner (and has the event organizer's special-purpose CIP in hisMaster Contact List), he may command the Service to perform a processanalogous to the first preferred process for purposes of determiningwhich of his colleagues (whose CIPs are also in his Master Contact List)have also been invited to attend the dinner (and who may therefore alsohave the event organizer's special-purpose CIP in their Master ContactLists) and, assuming positive results, contact his invited colleagues tomake arrangements to sit together at the dinner. For another example,for the purpose of User A's expanding his Master Contact List to includethe CIPs of users who are his personal and/or professional acquaintancesbut for whom he does not have CIPs in his Master Contact List, User Amay command the Service to search the Master Contact Lists of all usersto compile a list of all users having one or more of his CIPs in theirMaster Contact Lists and, subject to the preferences of each such otheruser, retrieve and deliver to User A one or more of such user's outgoingCIPs, where, for example, the type(s) of CIP(s) (personal, professional,or other) delivered to User A may depend upon the type(s) of CIP(s) ofUser A found in such user's Master Contact List. For a final example,assuming User A is interested in employment with a particularadvertising firm and he is seeking one or more other users to assist inmaking a personal introduction (and/or a series of personalintroductions culminating in a personal introduction) to any one of theManaging Directors at the firm; he may command the Service to perform aprocess analogous to the first preferred process where, instead ofselecting a target CIP(s), he selects a search function (described belowin connection with the second preferred process) having the firm nameand the phrase “Managing Director” in the “company name” and “title”fields.

Other automatic radial mining processes, performed in behalf of (atleast partially) one user, may involve the Service's mining ofinformation contained in other users' Storage Spaces 1011 in Database101, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. For example, System 10 may enable, andsuch user may employ, a “second preferred” radial mining processinvolving the multiple steps shown in FIG. 14. In the discussion of thesecond process and referring to FIG. 1, assume User A (who lives in NewYork) is planning a business trip to Las Vegas and wishes to knowwhether any of his friends will be in Las Vegas at the same time. He canbrowse and/or search his Master Contact List to find his friends wholive or work in Las to Vegas; however, he also wishes to know whetherany of his friends who do not live or work in Las Vegas may neverthelessbe there while he is there. Also assume User B (a friend of User A wholives in Houston) is planning a vacation in Las Vegas; he has created aspecial-purpose CIP for his planned vacation and, employing thepreferred automatic customization process described above, transferredsuch CIP to his parents, his office assistant, and several others—butnot to User A.

Referring additionally to FIG. 14, in Step 1, User A uses any Device 106in Category 1061 to engage the Service through Interface 102 via theInternet 103, where he is presented with, for example, Display Screen 20shown in FIG. 2. By, for example, clicking on “Mining Processes” Block203, User A is presented with another screen (or series of screens) fromwhich he may select, and command the Service to commence, this secondprocess. As mentioned above, the Service may enable a user to setGeneral and/or Specific Preferences preventing the Service's mining ofinformation contained in the outgoing CIPs stored in his Storage Space1011 in Database 101 as shown in FIG. 1A in behalf of (at leastpartially) another user, for each process (including this process) orall processes in which such mining is involved. If the Service enablesthe setting of such preferences, then it may also, for example, for eachuser who has set such preferences for this process (and for a period oftime after such user's removal of such preferences) prohibit such userfrom initiating this process in his own behalf. If such were the case,then, upon User A's selection of this process, Interface 102 may deliverto Database 101 a request to determine whether User A has set suchpreferences, and, if such preferences are found, the Service may informUser A that he is prohibited from initiating this process. Here,however, it is assumed either that the Service has not enabled thesetting of such preferences or that User A (though enabled) has not setsuch preferences.

In Step 2, the Service instructs User A to select a search function byentering information in search fields corresponding, for example, to the“city,” “state,” “zip code,” and/or “country” fields in Block 302 ofsample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3 and/or the “effective dates” or otherfields in Block 303 of sample MCIP 30. The Service again prompts User Athrough the process of selecting the search function, employing, wherepossible for each field (or portion of field), a pull-down bar listingpossible responses to the prompt, and enabling him to import informationfrom a CIP by, for example, simply clicking on it. For example, if UserA has in his Master Contact List the CIP of the hotel at which he willbe staying while in Las Vegas, then he may click on the CIP to importinto the search fields the Hotel “name,” “city,” “state,” “zip code,”“country,” and/or “location code,” and to then add or delete informationto/from the search fields as desired. For another example, assuming UserA has already created an outgoing special-purpose CIP for his plannedbusiness trip (which he may have created, in part, by importing into itthe hotel's CIP), then he may similarly click on such CIP to importinformation into the search fields, and then add or delete informationto/from the search fields as desired. The Service may also generateand/or import, and include in a search function, for some or all of thesearch fields containing data, and for each such field, adata-corresponding code. The Service may also enable User A to furtherdefine the search function by, for example, including “AND,” “OR,”and/or other search instructions. The Service may also enable theselection of a search function using Keyword and/or other common searchtechniques, apart from and/or in combination with the search techniquesdescribed above. The Service may also enable User A to tag one or moreof his outgoing CIPs (for example, the special-purpose CIP he createdfor his planned business trip) as corresponding to the search function;meaning, for each “first-degree user” (defined below) in whose StorageSpace 1011 a “Special-Purpose CIP Match” (also defined below) is found,if the Service generates a message to such user in the completion ofthis process, then the tagged CIP(s) may be included in such message. Itis assumed here that User A uses pull-down bars to enter “USA” in the“country” field, “Nevada” in the “state” field, “Las Vegas” in the“city” field, and “March 3rd through 13th” in the “effective dates”field, leaving other search fields blank; he also includes an “AND”search instruction. He then commands to the Service to conduct itssearch in accordance with his selected search function.

In Step 3, referring again to FIGS. 1, 1A, 3, and 13, Interface 102delivers User A's command (which, among other things, includes thesearch function) to Database 101, which may then compile a “final list”of users in whose Storage Spaces 1011 it will search in accordance withthe search function (here also called “first-degree users”) and searchsuch storage spaces of such users for a “Special-Purpose CIP Match”(defined below). In order to compile the final list of first-degreeusers, Database 101 may first review the CIPs in User A's Master ContactList (stored in his Storage Space 1012 shown in FIG. 1A) for compliancewith service restrictions (if any) imposed by the Service on the“selection” of first-degree users, extracting the User IdentificationCode 3011 from each complying CIP to create an “interim list” offirst-degree users (where multiple entries of the same Code 3011, ifany, are merged into a single entry). The service restrictions (if any)in this process may be, in whole or in part, the same as or differentfrom (but analogous to) those described above for Step 5 of the firstautomatic radial mining process shown in FIG. 13. For example, theService may find as non-complying the CIPs of business users and thusnot include the Codes 3011 of such users on the interim list; where, forexample, as explained above, the Codes 3011 in the CIPs may includewithin them a sub-code indicating the type of user (individual orbusiness) to whom a CIP corresponds. For each of the users whose Code3011 is on the interim list, Database 101 may then retrieve and reviewhis General and/or Specific Preferences concerning whether he permitshis selection as a first-degree user in this process as initiated byUser A, creating the final list by removing from the interim list theCode 3011 of each user who has set preferences prohibiting suchselection (all in a manner analogous to that described above for Step 4of the first automatic radial mining process shown in FIG. 13).

Database 101 may then search for a Special-Purpose CIP Match in theStorage Spaces 1011 of the first-degree users (whose User IdentificationCodes 3011 are on the final list). For each such user, Database 101 useshis Code 3011 to locate his Storage Space 1011 shown in FIG. 1A, inwhich is stored his outgoing MCIP(s). Within Storage Space 1011,Database 101 may first search for any special-purpose MCIPs, having aCIP Type Code 3014 of “04.” If no special-purpose MCIPs are found, then,for such user, there is no Special-Purpose CIP Match. For eachspecial-purpose MCIP that is found, Database 101 may then search theinformation (including data-corresponding codes, if any) within it for amatch in accordance with the search function. For example, for thesearch function selected by User A, if such special-purpose MCIP has“USA” in the “country” field, “Nevada” in the “state” field, and “LasVegas” in the “city” field, but has “effective dates” of “April 1^(st)through 6^(th),” then there is no match. If, however, suchspecial-purpose MCIP had the same information in the “country,” “state,”and “city” fields, but “effective dates” of “March 9^(th) through20^(th)”—where there is at least a partial (5-day) overlap with the“effective dates” in the search function—then there is an “interim”Special-Purpose CIP Match with such MCIP. For each special-purpose MCIPin the Storage Space 1011 of a first-degree user, a “Special-Purpose CIPMatch” requires that (1) there is an interim Special-Purpose CIP Match,and (2) the first-degree user has not set Specific Preferences for suchMCIP prohibiting the finding of a Special-Purpose CIP Match in thisprocess. That is, for example, for each special-purpose MCIP with whichthere is an interim Special-Purpose CIP Match, Database 101 may thenretrieve such first-degree user's Specific Preferences (if any) for suchMCIP to determine whether such user prohibits the mining of such MCIP inthis second process. If such user so prohibits the mining of such MCIP,then there is no Special-Purpose CIP Match with such MCIP (even thoughthere is an interim Special-Purpose CIP Match). (Alternatively, Database101 may retrieve and review the Specific Preferences for aspecial-purpose MCIP prior to searching the information within it for amatch in accordance with the search function, and only undertake suchsearching where there is no prohibition against the mining of suchMCIP.) Database 101 thus searches for a Special-Purpose CIP Match withrespect to all of the special-purpose MCIPs in the Storage Spaces 1011of all of the first-degree users.

If Database 101 determines there is one or more Special-Purpose CIPMatches, then the process continues and ends with Step 3A, shown in FIG.14, where the Service reports positive results. Database 101 maygenerate for User A a report of positive results, which report may bedelivered, for example, through Interface 102 to User A while he isstill engaging the Service. The report may state, among other things,the number of other users in whose Storage Spaces 1011 a Special-PurposeCIP Match was found. The report may also identify each such user, eitherby name alone or otherwise (including by the provision of thespecial-purpose CIP(s) with respect to which a Special-Purpose CIP Matchwas found), facilitating User A's contacting such user if he wishes toarrange to get together with such user while in Las Vegas. For example,assuming in this case that User C is one such user, the report to User Amay state that “User C (in your Master Contact List) is planning to bein Las Vegas from March 9^(th) through the 20^(th).” Database 101 mayalso generate appropriate messages for inclusion in the running reportsof each of the first-degree users in whose Storage Space 1011 aSpecial-Purpose CIP Match was found (as well as, perhaps, other users,e.g., those in whose Storage Spaces 1011 an interim Special-Purpose CIPMatch was found but whose Specific Preferences prohibited aSpecial-Purpose CIP Match). Such messages may identify User A (andinclude, for example, his tagged CIP), facilitating each such user'scontacting User A if he wishes to arrange to get together with User Awhile in Las Vegas. For example, assuming again User C is one such user,the message to User C may state that “User A (see tagged special-purposeCIP) is planning to be in Las Vegas at the same time that you areplanning to be there (though User A has not been informed of yourplans); please feel free to contact User A if you wish to arrange to gettogether with him while there.” Preferably, if the Service enables inthis process, in whole or in part, either or both of the identitypreferences described above for Step 4A of the first preferred automaticradial mining process shown in FIG. 13, it does so in a manner thatassures that, in the report to User A and/or the message to each of suchother users, sufficient identity information is disclosed to facilitatethe above-described contacts. If Database 101 determines, however, thatthere is no Special-Purpose CIP Match, then the process continues andends with Step 3B, shown in FIG. 14, where the Service reports to User Anegative results.

System 10 (and/or System 60) may also enable, and a user may alsoemploy, other automatic radial mining processes performed in behalf of(at least partially) one user and involving the mining of informationcontained in other users' Storage Spaces 1011 (some of which arediscussed below), either as alternatives or supplements to the secondpreferred process. For example, User A may engage the Service by meansother than that described in connection with Step 1 of the secondprocess; for example, as described above, he may engage the Serviceusing a Device 106 in Category 1063 through Gateway 104 via Networks105, and, by communicating with Gateway 104 (which in turn communicateswith Database 101), he may select a search function, receive positive ornegative results, and/or otherwise command the Service to perform aradial mining process analogous to the second preferred process. Foranother example, in Step 1, the Service may, at any time that itdetermines may be appropriate for User A to initiate this process (e.g.,just following User A's creation of his special-purpose MCIP for hisplanned business trip), use a prompt to suggest that User A initiatethis process and enable him to do so without, for example, clicking on“Mining Processes” Block 203 of Display Screen 20 shown in FIG. 2.Indeed, at any such time, the Service may itself initiate this processfor User A (subject to User A's preferences), where it may, for example,automatically construct the search function by importing into the searchfields information from certain of the fields within User A'sspecial-purpose MCIP. For another example, whether the process is firstinitiated by User A or by the Service for User A, the Service may itselfre-run the process (using the same search function) on a periodic basisor at another appropriate time (even at times when User A is notengaging the Service); for example, one day prior to the earliest datein the “effective dates” search field. For another example, the Servicemay enable User A to select the first-degree users (in a manneranalogous to that described above for Step 3 of the first preferredautomatic radial mining process shown in FIG. 13), where, among otherthings, the Service may enable him to select as a group to be includedamong the first-degree users those users in whose Master Contact Listsis stored one or more of User A's outgoing CIPs, even if User A does nothave any outgoing CIPs of such other users in his Master Contact List(in a manner analogous to that described above for the second selectionprocess in Step 3 of the preferred automatic update process shown inFIG. 7). If such were the case, and User A selected such group of users,Database 101 may, as part of Step 3, search Storage Spaces 1012 of allother users for CIPs having User A's User Identification Code 3011 inorder to determine the User Identification Code 3011 of each user insuch group of users (in a manner analogous to that described above forStep 4 of the preferred automatic update process shown in FIG. 7). TheService itself may “select” analogous groups of users in its compilingthe final list of first-degree users in Step 3. Correspondingly, theService may enable users to set preferences concerning their possibleselection in this manner as first-degree users, also in a manneranalogous to that described above for Step 4 of the preferred automaticupdate process shown in FIG. 7. If such were the case, then, for eachuser so selected and whose User Identification Code 3011 is on the finallist of first-degree users, Database 101 may include on the final list amarker corresponding to such Code 3011 indicating that such user was soselected and Database 101 may then search in his Storage Space 1011 forany outgoing MCIP (of any type, not just a special-purpose type)containing information (excluding, e.g., the “effective dates” field)constituting a match in accordance with the search function (whichmatch, absent Specific Preferences prohibiting the mining of such MCIPin this process, is considered a “positive result”)—where, for example,the Service may retrieve for User A the CIPs of users who are presumablyacquaintances of User A who live or work in Las Vegas, but for whom UserA did not previously have CIPs stored in his Master Contact List. Foranother example, the Service may, as to certain service restrictionsthat it may impose in its “selection” of first-degree users, enable auser initiating this process to choose whether each such servicerestriction is to be applied by Database 101 in compiling the final listof such users.

Automatic radial mining processes in behalf of (at least partially) oneuser and involving mining of information contained in other users'Storage Spaces 1011 may be performed for personal and/or professionalpurposes in addition to that used hereinabove as an example to assist indescribing such processes.

Still Other Embodiments

In the embodiments of System 10 (and/or System 60) described above, CIPsmay stored in Database 101, for each user, in his Storage Spaces 1011(outgoing CIPs) and/or 1012 (incoming CIPs), and, at least as stored inDatabase 101, each CIP contains contact information data in, forexample, Block 302 of sample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3. In otherembodiments of System 10, either for all users or particular users (asdetermined, e.g., by a user's preferences), some or all of theinformation contained in a user's outgoing and/or incoming CIPs(including some or all of the outgoing and/or incoming contactinformation data) may not be stored in Database 101. That is, forexample, System 10 may involve, for each user, the storage in hisStorage Space 1011 of his outgoing MCIP(s) (containing his outgoingcontact information data), but, with respect to each of his incomingCIPs, the storage in his Storage Space 1012 of only Codes 3011 through3014 of each incoming CIP (without storage of the incoming contactinformation data and other information contained in such CIP). When suchuser is engaging the Service and/or at other times, the Service may, asrequired for the delivery of a particular feature of the invention forthe benefit of such user and/or another user, use such codes in suchuser's Storage Space 1012 to retrieve the corresponding incoming CIPsfrom other users' Storage Spaces 1011 and thus temporarily compile allor a portion of such user's Master Contact List (complete with contactinformation data for each incoming CIP). For another example, theService may enable a user to set General and/or Specific Preferencesindicating that one or more of his outgoing MCIPs is not to be stored inhis Storage Space 1011. For any such outgoing MCIP that is not to bestored in Storage Space 1011 in Database 101, Database 101 may, forexample, at the time of its creation at the Service and prior to suchuser's (e.g., User A's) downloading of it to his own device(s), include(or enable) in it (e.g., in Block 305 of sample MCIP 30 shown in FIG. 3)an instruction (not a toggle instruction) indicating that, in thecreation of a corresponding Return CIP upon the downloading of such CIPto a another user's (e.g., User B's) Device 106, such correspondingReturn CIP is to include (in addition to Codes 7011, 7012, 7013, 7014,and/or other information described above) at least the contactinformation data contained in such CIP (as well as, perhaps, some or allof the other information contained in such CIP). Therefore, when User Buploads such Return CIP to the Service in, for example, the preferredautomatic portability process shown in FIG. 12, Database 101 may in Step6, instead of retrieving the corresponding CIP as described above,deliver such Return CIP itself (as the corresponding CIP) to Gateway 104for distribution to User B's other Device(s) 106. If, at the time ofUser B's uploading of such Return CIP to the Service, User A is nolonger a Member of the Service (as determined by Database 101 using theCode 7011 in the Return CIP), then Database 101 may be programmed suchthat it does not store the Return CIP in User B's Storage Space 1012and/or distribute it to User B's other Device(s) 106 and/or Distributors608. For a final example, referring to FIGS. 1, 1A, and 1B, System 10(and/or System 60) may exclude altogether Database 101 and the othercomponents (Interface 102 and Gateway 104) of the Service, implementingthe invention through, among other things, software and/or hardware onusers' Devices 106, enabling, among other things, the creation ofoutgoing MCIPs directly on some or all of such devices, where, in suchembodiment, certain of the features of the invention may be realized inthe same or substantially the same manner as described above, and wherecertain other features of the invention may be compromised or disabled.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present inventioncan be practiced by still other than the described embodiments, whichare presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation. One ormore of the components of System 10 (and/or System 60) may be omitted,and additional components may be added to System 10 (and/or System 60),without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for the management of contactinformation, said system, for use with devices, comprising: a databasehaving, for a plurality of users of the system, first storage spaces forstoring said users' outgoing contact information profiles and, for atleast some of said users, second storage spaces for storing incomingcontact information profiles, said database also configured to storepreferences for at least some of said users, and wherein said databaseincludes a directory for searching of contact information profiles, saiddirectory including said users' outgoing contact information profilesthat are searchable by one or more other said users of the system, andwherein at least some of said users may set preferences with respect toaccessibility of their outgoing contact information profiles in saiddirectory; an Internet interface linked to said database and enablinginteractions, via the Internet, between said database and a plurality ofsaid devices; and a communications gateway linked to said database foreither sending to or receiving from said devices, or both,communications via either the Internet or other public communicationsnetworks, or both.